


Stolen Hope

by Alizigator



Category: Naruto
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Crimes & Criminals, F/M, Gang Violence, NaruHina - Freeform, PTSD, Police, Politics, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, SasuSaku - Freeform, Terrorism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-03-09
Packaged: 2019-10-17 12:48:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 58,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17560682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alizigator/pseuds/Alizigator
Summary: Modern AU/SasuSaku/NaruHina: Sasuke, e-sport star, didn't ever think he'd lose everything. Naruto just wants his life to go back to normal. With something dark brewing beneath the surface, both of them have a long way to go to receive redemption and reach happiness. Trigger Warning: Terrorism. Lots of angst and PTSD. Drinking and attempted suicide.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Originally uploaded on FF.net. Currently updating on both sites.

Chapter 1

He craned his neck slightly to peak out at the crowd behind the curtain. They buzzed excitedly, complimenting the sound of the live streaming equipment that dotted around the entirety of the convention floor. Taking his left hand and running it through his ebony hair, he turned back to his team. The four of them huddled close to their coach, crammed in the small space with a second team not far away.

"Sasuke, did you hear a word I just said?" his coach watched him in a hushed, rushed tone, through a medical mask that Sasuke had never seen him without. He sometimes wondered if he was really, actually sick like he claimed or just didn't want to reveal his face.

"Yeah. Ban Yozo first. And grab Koko and Aiko. After that, play by ear of what the other team does. But we are focusing on getting Toichi and Sanehiro in the second round."

Kakashi sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose hard. Of course, Sasuke was listening. In all his years of professional gaming, Sasuke never missed a beat. He wasn't one of the world's top e-sport players for nothing, after all. Kakashi raised his head and his eyes darted over each and every one of them.

"I don't suppose there is much else to say. Except..." again, his eyes swept across them all—resting briefly on Sasuke before finishing, "You've worked hard to get to this point. I'm proud of you."

One of his teammates, a boy not about a year older than Sasuke who never outgrew the bowl-cut hair-style, let out a small sob. Another one of his teammates patted the boy with bushy-eye brows gently. "Ah, Lee. Always the cry-baby." Sai gave him a small, disingenuous smile.

"Sai!" Kakashi sighed once again, burying his face in his hand. "I wish Guy would show."

Sasuke and his final teammate—the only one of the bunch he found himself calling "friend"-exchanged looks. He and Neji shared similar feelings for their second coach and they were the exact opposite of Kakashi's "wanting him to be there".

A stagehand scrambled forward from their competitors. He wheezed, his voiced shaky with anticipation of the event about to happen. "Two minutes. Please be prepared." He rushed off again, stumbling around the other group and the impromptu curtain that separated them from the audience. This really was a poorly laid out set-up.

As Sasuke was about to turn his focus back on his team, his eyes got caught on a single individual on the other team who was staring at him. Even after catching him, he didn't flinch away from drinking Sasuke in and analyzing him with piercing sea-foam colored eyes. The boy's coach was the only thing that swayed their staring contest in Sasuke's favor.

"Neji," Sasuke nudged his teammate with his elbow and inclining his head to the red-head who he had caught staring at him, "Any idea who that is?"

Neji peered over, trying to keep his movement subtle. Sasuke had to hand it to him. Neji seemed to be able to see everything without even moving his eyes. He turned to Sasuke, crossing his arms over his chest. "Shukaku is his handle. I believe his real name is Gaara. He's been winning people over on Glitch with his talent, recently."

"Good for him." Sasuke tried to hide the strain on his voice from the stranger giving him—for the lack of a better term—the creeps.

"He could tell Neji wanted to say something, but as he was considering speaking, the lights on the stage flashed. A booming voice filled the giant room. "Welcome to the finals the Grand Shinobi Showdown! I'm your host—" Sasuke stopped listening and stared toward the stage where a line of eight, glowing blue computers sat. This was easy. They had done this before, countless of times. He clenched and unfurled his fists in anticipation. As the host continued on with his rambling, Sasuke couldn't help but feel his heart ramming against his chest.

Just because they'd done it countless of times didn't mean he wasn't nervous about walking in front of hundreds of people.

A hand squeezed his shoulder and he looked to see Kakashi also staring out at the computers as well. Without looking at him, Kakashi said, "Remember, we're here. Remember teamwork."

"Right." Sasuke only half took in the statement. He was Sasuke Uchiha, after all. One of the best e-sports players in the world. His live stream dominated in numbers on Glitch. And he did that on his own.

"Please welcome... Team Konoha!" the host finally boomed. Kakashi released his shoulder with one final squeeze and shove. Sasuke let out a breath and took the first step out onto the stage.

As was customary, he led his team out in front of the computers first, where a small outcropping sat, large enough for the four of them to stand and wave out at the crowd.

"Rock Lee!" a light beneath Lee illuminated him as he whooped and cheered with the crowd. His mood definitely changed quickly from the crying kid backstage to the annoyingly enthusiastic entertainer now.

"Artizz!" Again, a light lit up one of his teammates. This time, it was Sai. He put on that same smile and waved politely. Sometimes, Sasuke wondered how Sai had a girlfriend and he didn't. The kid was downright creepy with his stiff movements.

"Ghost!" Neji bowed. Sasuke heard a few screams from the crowd, adoring fans. Of his three teammates, Neji was the closest one to him in statistics. He was talented and smart, making him the perfect partner when Sasuke needed it... not that he ever needed a partner.

"And Hawk!" As the light revealed him, Sasuke didn't move. The crowd absolutely exploded, which melted his nerves away as fast as a snap. He glanced around and then cocked his lips to the side, tilting his head with them. He heard multiple girls wail. This... this is what it was supposed to be like. Sasuke basked in the blue glow and the deafening screeches vibrating against the walls. This is the environment he thrived in.

They were soon excused to their seats on the stage. Their right, the audience's left. Kakashi had told him the theater term for that before, but that wasn't something he cared to remember. He cared about the game. He cared to know every technique, every character inside and out. He had to space in his memory for stage up and down or left and right. They settled down at their assigned computers. He was at the end, closet to the other team. Just the way he preferred it. The PC in front of him was already set up, but he double checked to see if they were all in the same Disaccord server before swapping back to the game screen. They seemed to all be connected fine.

He glanced over at Neji, who signaled a thumbs up before they both situated the supplied headset over their ears. The crowd was muffled—slightly. There wasn't much you could do with an auditorium filled with enthusiastic gamers. They were a loud and passionate group of people... something that Sasuke had to admit was thrilling.

"Mic check." came Sai's voice in his ear.

"Read ya loud n clear!" Lee chirped.

"I hope you're all ready." Neji murmured, though it was almost impossible to hear.

"Always," Sasuke replied.

Once the other team was settled—Sasuke had not bothered to listen, he just knew the Gaara kid had a pretty loud fan base as well—and Kakashi was behind them with his earpiece, they were allowed to load up the game's competitive screen option. He clicked ready on his end and everyone's computers quickly loaded into the first round of character bans and select.

"Remember. Ban Yozo." Kakashi's voice came through their headphones. Sasuke found himself nodding to himself. However, he didn't have the option to ban. On the opposite end of the table, Lee flicked through the characters, searching frantically for Yozo's character. Sasuke mentally cursed him. The names were all in alphabetical order! He found Yozo eventually and selected him. The host "oooh'd", and then went on about how it was a smart move on their part. That Yozo's current state was extremely unbalanced. Then Lee and Sai chose the two characters discussed earlier. Koko and Aiko. They turned and nodded to each other.

Now, it was their opponent's turn to ban and choose.

Sasuke watched his screen intently. He was expecting them to ban Michi, maybe. She was annoying to counter and had one of the highest stealth scores in the game. If he had had any say, she would have been the first banned character.

His heart dropped as he watched the name Sanehiro flash across the screen and the character portrait of the heroic bowman with it. "Fuck, fuck," Kakashi growled. Sasuke could feel the frustration bubbling from his coach behind him. His own skin prickled with anxiety now. Sanehiro was meant to be his character. Did they know somehow? A lucky guess? In his practice streams, he never talked about what character he would play in the tournament, and he always let the game choose his character instead of letting his biased human brain select and accidentally choose Sanehiro. He chanced a glance toward their opponents. Gaara looked up as he felt Sasuke's gaze land on him. They just stared at each other.

"Sasuke. Choose Michi." Kakashi told him. Sasuke pressed his lips together and didn't respond. He could play Michi well enough, but that would upset the group dynamic that they were already building. There had to be a different character.

"Ban Satoshi. Neji choose Toichi as planned, and Sasuke—Sasuke are you listening?"

Sasuke watched as Satoshi's name flew across the screen in red, with his goofy smile to go along with it. He could feel the heat building up in the back of his neck as Neji selected Toichi and the character flashed across his screen, holding a defensive stance with a shuriken in between his fingers. Kakashi's voice echoed through his mind, telling him to choose Michi. Michi was a fine character. He played her a lot. But the way their party was shaping up, she would almost be a hindrance. She was all about stealth, and while the other characters could stealth, they were more close-combat fighting and jutsu.

Toichi's character art disappeared from the screen, clearing the way for Sasuke to choose a character. His hand twitched and he grabbed the mouse in a firm, tight grip. Michi wasn't a character he should choose... but then who?

His cursor hovered over the white-haired, sassy character art... he lifted his finger, about to press down.

But then the character next to her caught his eye.

Minako. A blond man built for speed and could teleport where he through his kunai. He had been used a lot back when the game was first released, in tournament play and regular games. The character had fallen out of favor as other characters were introduced in patches and he was left... forgotten. He needed to be buffed to fit the current meta. But Sasuke... Sasuke remembered playing Minako with a giant smile and racing heart before his streams caught the eye of his Team Konoha and he was recruited. Minako was...

He twitched his wrist and selected Minako with a swift click. He locked in his selection before anyone could tell him otherwise.

Minako was _fun_ to play.

"Sasuke! What are you doing?" Kakashi's voice was cursing him. "Why didn't you choose Michi?"

Sasuke rose his fingers to his microphone and pushed it a tad closer to his face. "Michi is too selfish of a character for this team, Kakashi."

"But Minako is sincerely out-classed. He needs major reworking before he's ready for competitive play!"

He could feel four sets of eyes boring into him. Sasuke turned in his seat to look Kakashi dead in the eye. "Kakashi, good players can make mediocre characters great. Trust me."

Kakashi lowered his face into his hand. Sasuke turned back to his screen, where he saw the other team had just selected their own remaining characters. Michi being one of them. His hand twitched again.

"There's nothing we can do about it now. I hope you're right."

"I usually am." Sasuke murmured, mostly to himself.

They selected where they wanted to spawn on the map and then a hush fell upon the crowd, almost eerily quiet.

ooooo

Minako landed on a soft tuft of grass, fresh dew spotted along the blades and vegetation surrounding him. Shadows jumped down next to him, materializing almost out of the darkness itself. He quickly recognized Koko, Aiko, and Toichi. They stared out into the forest in front of them for a moment before seemingly coming to consciousness.

Aiko scuffed. "Here, huh?"

"Seems like it," Koko replied, slowly bringing out his katana, "and the mission is to eliminate the enemy."

Minako rubbed the back of his neck and searched the tree line with his eyes. It was too dark to see properly. Nothing new, that's why they had Toichi. As if reading his mind, Toichi pressed his hands together. A small wave of energy released from his companion and disappeared just at the edge of the tree-line. Minako watched as Toichi's brow tightened slightly before he lowered his hands, "Radar up. They're not close. Stay aware. No telling what we're up against." Toichi was always to the point. Minako appreciated the ability to convey information so easily, but the emotionless tone was a drag sometimes.

He just wished more of his teammates were more like Satoshi... someone who had passion and fire in their souls.

They were off, bouncing from shadow to shadow, keeping to the low branches and letting Toichi lead them. After a minute or so, they landed on the roof of a shack that was far too moldy to safely live in. Minako dropped down to the cobblestone pathway that ventured out into the darkness from the worn-out door. He glanced around and then began to reach for the handle. Inside this shack there could very well be supplies they could use. Maybe something for medical. They were running low after their last encounter.

As he touched the door, Aiko appeared next to him and grabbed his wrist, hissing, "Wait. It could be trapped."

Minako looked down at their only female member. And even if he wanted to protest, her eyes hardened and... honestly, Aiko was a little scary. She was far too intense for anyone. He stepped away from the door, letting Aiko scan it before deeming it clear.

She pushed open the door. He pushed past her, into the dingy shack. The moment he stepped through the threshold, he recoiled from the stench of mold and decay. Inside, there were turned over armchairs, muddy footprints, and remnants of some kind of dinner that featured a small creature as its main course. Minako covered his nose with his tall collar and started shuffling through the wrecked cottage. There wasn't much, but he stashed away a decent amount of bandages and some extra shuriken, which he made a mental note of giving to Toichi. There was also a jar of... poison? He didn't usually dabble with poison... but if the situation called for it. He slipped it carefully into a pocket on his jacket made specifically for a jar like this.

"Hurry," Aiko moaned. Minako shot her a look but rushed back outside, closing the door behind them.

Toichi and Koko jumped down from the decrepit building and the four of them started creeping through the forest once more. They slipped through the shadows, this time maneuvering at the base of the trees, keeping hidden and staying quiet.

Suddenly, Toichi's arm shot up, making the rest of them stop. "My radar was just deactivated by an outside source." Minako saw Toichi's eyes harden and his feet widen as he crouched more defensively. "They're here."

A flurry of shuriken rushed out from the leaves above them. Minako flipped backward, his body contorting with the agility of a cat. His hand found one of his special kunai and he threw it back toward the direction of the attackers before he landed gracefully on his feet. The others had made similar movements. Though, Koko was somehow already dangling with one arm from the lowest branch of the tree, similarly to how a monkey would.

Aiko heaved in a giant breath. Once she looked satisfied, she released it. But instead of a normal sigh, black oil spewed from her lips and landed thick on the trees and leaves. Well, there went the plan of teleporting to them with his kunai. I would take a least five minutes for it to start drying and another five for it to be suitable for an ally to walk on.

"Take cover!" Koko called as he dropped down with a kunai with a tag dangling from the handle in his hand. Before Minako could protest this plan, the kunai left Koko's hand with a whoosh.

Minako's heart fell into his stomach as he watched fire bloom out from the oil-soaked trees. A blazing heat burst out, engulfing the entire area. He crouched down, covering his face with his arms and planted his heels into the hard soil below him to brace himself against the impact of force. It wasn't enough, though. The force knocked into him. His feet were lifted out from beneath him as if someone had them on strings and just tugged them off the ground. He tumbled back onto the ground. With every uncontrolled somersault across the ground, he felt his exposed skin scrape and tear. He tried to steady himself, grabbing for anything that would stop his roll but with no avail. He eventually came to a stop, a good two meters away from where he had been standing moments before.

His ears rang. He blinked against the heat of the licking flames that not only blazed in the treetops, but all around them. "Damn..." he cursed quietly, pushing himself up with his fist. As he propped himself on one knee, he could feel the newly acquired cuts and bruises running along his arms and cheeks stretch uncomfortably. "Where...?" his eyes darted about. Toichi and Aiko had disappeared. Koko, on the other hand, had not been able to dodge his own explosion and had been thrown back against a tree, his head bowed forward and unmoving. He must have been dazed. Minako's fingers tensed on the ground and he pushed himself upward, his muscles complaining with the movement.

He had to keep Koko safe until he snapped out of it. He took a shaky step forward, another... another. As his next step was about to connect with the ground, a currant of air caught his movement and wound its way around him. The chill of this concentrated currant swept across him and, despite constraining his movements, was somewhat refreshing compared to the intense heat of the flames. It was about to his naval when he clapped his hands together and yelled, "Release!" A burst of his own energy pushed against the air, dispelling it into the surroundings. He landed back on the soil, taking a second to compose himself before glaring down the figure in front of him.

A woman in a kimono that was cut short—about to her mid-thigh—stood with her chin tilted proudly. She chuckled slightly, "Ah, Minako. I haven't seen you out here in a while."

Minako pushed his blond hair out of his eyes, drinking in the pale skin and ink-colored hair sitting pretty in neat buns on the top of her head. She stood with her feet maybe a foot apart, with her shoulders relaxed and back. In one hand she held a currently folded paper fan, the other was propped on her hip. To top it all off, she wore a smug expression, her eyes glittering with excitement at the idea of blowing him off the map.

He smiled a little. "You haven't changed one bit, Akane." With a flash, his hand was on his pouch, and he had one of his kunai out in front of him, ready to defend himself if necessary.

Akane flicked open her fan and they both swung their weapons. A gale of wind hit him like what he would imagine a wrecking ball would feel like. His kunai landed with a thunk behind her and she didn't flinch.

Once again, he began to stumble backward. Only this time he was prepared. He caught himself and honed his eyesight on the kunai that was embedded in the ground and—he was no longer being pushed backward by her strong gust. Instead, with a burst of energy, he found himself knelt down behind her and loosed the kunai from the ground.

"What?" he heard her gasp as she realized he disappeared. He turned his torso, aiming the point of the blade straight for her lung.

The kunai dug into soft flesh. She had just turned around quickly enough to see him plunge the dagger under her rib cage. Time stood still for a moment as she stared down at him, wide-eyed. Warm, stickiness began to drip down from her torso, absorbing into his glove and running down his arm.

"I had forgotten..." she murmured, "You can't be underestimated."

Minako glared slightly. He placed one hand on her torso and leveraged the knife from her. She staggered backward, holding a hand over the wound before falling forwards onto her stomach.

"He stood back up, staring at the woman he felt like he had known his entire life... yet there was a gap. Something was amiss. Why did he have so little empathy towards this situation? He had just murdered a former ally of his. Should he not be grieving her? Why were they fighting in the first place?

"Aye, Minako took Akane out." Koko's voice drifted towards him. Minako turned to spy his teammate getting to his feet. "The blast dazed me. It wore off when he finished her. What?" Koko's eyes darted toward him, filled with sudden urgency. "Alright I'll tell him." his hand dropped from his earpiece, which, Minako quickly noticed his wasn't working. He lifted his hand up to his own and pulled it out. No signs of life from the little thing. Guess he was going on without it.

Koko cleared his throat. "Toichi and Aiko took out Tabito but Aiko was taken down by an arrow."

Minako's face hardened and he tossed the earpiece to the side. "A sniper...? Could only mean..."

"Michi." Koko finished for him. "This is going to be tougher than we thought."

"We're two against three. We should be fine as long as we stick together." Minako stumbled toward the direction he had last seen Toichi, wiping his kunai clean on his long jacket. "We need to find Toichi. He's more defensive than offensive so he'll be fine for a moment. But we need to find him."

"Koko jogged up beside him and nodded while unsheathing his katana once more. "Shouldn't be too far, just keep an eye out."

They burst into a run with Minako trying to put behind him the lack of feeling he had had for killing Akane. It didn't make sense to him. He knew he had feelings. He had memories of growing up and feeling things for people, for things...

No, that wasn't right. He couldn't pinpoint anything in his memories. He couldn't remember. He just felt like he remembered. Did he actually even have emotions?

They continued to jump through the trees. Minako was coming to realize something.

There was something wrong with the world, with his head... and he wanted to figure out what it was.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Sasuke's headset was suddenly dead. He couldn't hear game audio or his team speaking to him. It was only by the grace of the silent crowd that he could hear the faint voices of his comrades from behind the padded cuffs.

He tore them off his head. They didn't have time for technical issues. He had just taken out that Temari girl on the other team right as his headset crackled to their death. Out of the corner of his eye, she could see her throw a mini-fit. Guess she had forgotten about Minako's teleportation power.

He quickly reorganized his thoughts as Kakashi was quietly yelling for a new headset for him. Akane was defeated by him. Then Neji and Sai had taken out Tabito... but Sai had left himself open to be taken down by one of Michi's deadly arrows. Temari was absolutely livid with Minako and his teleportation. No doubt she was drilling it into her teammate's heads about it. Sasuke would not be able to do that again, not that that Gaara character would have made the same mistake. Sasuke had the sinking suspicion that guy knew the ins and outs out every character, same as Sasuke.

Both he and Lee were jumping toward Neji's character when an apologetic-looking stage hand rushed to his desk and replaced the headset with a pair that was exactly the same as the previous one. Thankfully for that, the computer recognized the new headphones without needing to freeze the game and ask for permission to use the new hardware. He slipped them on, "This better?"

"Welcome back," Lee greeted with a seriousness that was rare for him. He only had a hard tone when they were playing a tough opponent. "You ready to kick some butt?"

"Always."

They came to a rest at a river that sparkled with the moonlight. Toichi was positioned in the open, with a temporary, circular force-field around him. Sai's character, Aiko, lay at Toichi's feet. Neji glanced toward Sasuke, "Careful. He'll be close by."

"Yeah. I have no doubt." Sasuke pressed the W key on his keyboard, causing Minako to shoot forward and then hit CAPS LOCK to skid to a quick halt. Once Minako was settled, he hit Ctrl+T, which sent the blond character rotating on the spot. As he spun, he sent seven of his special kunai flying. They landed along the battlefield, on the ground, in trees. If it weren't for the small little pulses on the mini-map he'd probably would have lost them completely. Seven close by and that one lone one that had not been destroyed by Lee's and Sai's combo. All he'd have to do was point his screen toward one and hit T to teleport. Easy.

"How do you know some much about Minako?" Sai asked. He was leaning back in his chair, lazily. "He isn't exactly chosen often, even in casual play."

"I used to play him all the time," Sasuke explained, "everyone's forgotten about him. He just needs someone who knows how to handle a lot of speed and movement."

"Don't get cocky. He's still way out-classed by Michi and Kosami," Kakashi's voice warned him, "You were lucky Akane's player forgot how Minako is handled."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "I know, I know. He needs a buff. Doesn't have nearly enough strong jutsus to keep up. But right now we don't need strong jutsu. We need cunning."

ooooo

Minako straightened up, eyes darting around the clearing after sending a majority of his kunai out into the forest. He heard Koko shuffle behind him. "Do we know the last opponent?" Koko's voice floated meekly over the air.

"Kosami." Toichi answered, his brows knitted as he concentrated on keeping his force-field up around him. Minako could see the strain it was causing him, wanted to tell him to stop... but knew better than to say anything. It was better he keep the shield up. Not very much could get past it, not even Michi's arrows.

"Alright," Minako murmured, "I'm going to go into the trees. I won't go far." Before either of them could protest, he focused on a kunai up in the thick branches. He felt himself be tugged away and land among the leaves. In the same movement, he retrieved the kunai and gently placed the handle in-between his lips.

Now, to scout for Kosami.

He leaped away, catching other branches as he swung around his team in a wide circle. He tried to remain as silent as possible, swinging then stopping for a moment to look around the vicinity before continuing on his way. After about five swing-n-lands, something rustled. He stopped on a thick branch, his teeth grinding against the kunai as he watched for movement in the leaves to his right. His hand found the pocket he had slipped the poison into and pierced another blade into the soft top of the jar.

Retching coughing fits from below told him that Kosami had found Koko. Minako turned, ready to dart into the smoke that was filling the clearing he had left Koko and Toichi in. His muscles tensed for the jump when an arm was firmly slung over his shoulder and a soft body pushed up against his back. Normally, this would be an amazing feeling—however, the arrow tip that hovered by his throat was a bit of a downer.

"So... it is Minako. It's been a while, old friend." Michi's quiet voice stung his nerves like a wasp. She moved the arrow closer to his neck.

"Aye, it's been a while." Minako's eyes darted toward the direction of his first kunai, easily detected by the scent of the smoke on the wind. Possibly?

"Unfortunately, I have to end you now."

It all happened in a blink. The arrow pierced the skin, but Minako grabbed her hand and tensed. His other arm shot behind him and gripped down onto her head, pushing her vision into the fabric on his shoulder. She wasn't going to kill him today. His vision focused in the distance, toward their original battleground...

The most intense heat he'd ever felt in his life engulfed him. Flames licked up around his body as he held tight to Michi, still on his back. Her scream as the fire hit her shattered his heart. He couldn't stop this, though. It was his mission... his duty... He had known Michi as children... or at least thought he had. Why did he have no remorse over burning to death with his childhood friend?

Michi broke away from him and he rolled out of arms' reach of her. He was falling. Falling out of the branches until his body cracked onto the ground. He had taken too much damage earlier, from the explosion and tumbling around from Akane's wind. The fire had just about done him in.

His knuckles scraped the dirt as he crawled out of the flames and smoke, back toward Akane's body lying peacefully in the center of the chaos. He was sore, and his skin felt like it was bubbling away from the muscle it typically clung to without any protest. Involuntary, he moaned. After this, he was retiring. He'd go back to his beautiful wife and never set foot into this god-forsaken place again. He'd bury his friends in a beautiful place, someplace safe and never look back.

He had successfully crawled out from the fire and was a couple meters from Akane when Michi dropped down from the trees, landing on one knee and coughing up the smoke she must have inhaled. He clamped down on his kunai, which he had managed to keep a hold of both the one in his mouth and the poisoned one in his hand. Minako slowly, and painfully, pushed himself up. Michi would be on him the moment she recovered, he needed to be ready.

Michi staggered up. Her own flesh looked similar to a steak that was only half-way cooked and her silver hair was all but gone. She looked him dead in the eye, her hand moving to her back and pulling out the bow, agony written all over her face with every move.

He threw the poisoned kunai as she began retrieving an arrow. Her eyes went wide and she dodged forward. He watched with bated breath, waited for any sort of contact with her skin. And it did. As she ducked her head forward, the newly hairless portion was sliced, just a sliver. That was enough. There was no way the poison wouldn't overtake her and—she raised the arrow up, aiming straight for his heart.

This was it, this was his end. Yet he felt nothing, no fear, no relief. There was no acceptance or the want to flee. He watched her pull the string back, stressing the wood of the bow with elegance and strength. He closed his eyes, ready to die.

The arrow was released with a whoosh. He waited, but before the arrow pierced his body there was a clang of metal colliding with more metal. His eyes snapped open. In front of him, Koko crouched, his katana out and the arrow resting on the ground where it must have made contact with Koko's block.

"Good work, Minako." Koko murmured, nodding to his comrade who sat, stunned by his sudden appearance. "You look terrible."

ooooo

Of course, Sasuke knew Lee was back on his way to help finish off Michi after he had stabbed Kosami through the stomach. Unfortunately, Neji's character had been fodder. He had shielded Lee last second and took the death over Koko, who was the character with the most DPS and could take both Kosami and Michi out if Sasuke couldn't.

Of course, Sasuke did.

He watched Michi fall, the poison did enough to knock her down. The first battle was done.

"Very smart, using the fire," Kakashi praised, his hand was squeezing the back of Sasuke chair as the image swapped from the forest-world to the victory screen, "I don't think you would've taken Michi out otherwise."

"Do you think they'll be banning Minako next round?" Lee asked, pushing away from his desk to stare toward Kakashi.

Kakashi merely shrugged. Sasuke, on the other hand, smirked, "Let them. If they think they can defeat us by banning him, then they can keep on dreaming. We're not going to lose."

"That's right." Sai piped up.

Neji simply nodded.

"Alright. Looks like the next round is starting. Look alive." Kakashi commented, taking a step back and watching the next round unfold.

Their opponents did indeed end up banning Minako at least once in their five-round stint against each other. Though they seemed to decide it was better to let Sasuke have Minako over Sanehiro after he completely trashed three of their players, albeit with assistance from the rest of his team. Afterward, Minako became Sasuke's main, allowing him to flash around and take out the enemy line. Though he didn't always end the match burning alive.

It was close. With their final match coming to an end, it was Sasuke and Neji still alive against Gaara and another boy who wore a hood. They were all in the open, clashing against each other. The boy with the hood was keeping him busy, while Gaara was keeping him on his toes. Every time he blocked a punch from hood-boy's character, Gaara's sand ninjutsu would crash at the ground around him, causing him to dance away from the two characters as much as possible. Neji was back on Toichi and was trying to support him as much as possible with shields and trying to catch Gaara's attention.

"This is a stalemate," Lee whispered.

"Eventually one has got to cave," Sai told him.

Unfortunately, Minako's teleportation had a 15-second cooldown. Sasuke was using it as much as possible in hopes to gain an opening. But so far to no avail. Then something caught his eye.

Movement in the audience. Not a single soul had budged or said anything louder than a whisper as they viewed this intense final. Some jerk had decided to excuse himself from the second to the front row, so close to the stage the audience there could probably feel the sweat from their brows fly when the whipped their head too hard. But he left his bag behind. Probably just needed the bathroom.

The hood-boy landed a punch straight across Minako's jaw. Sasuke let out a small yelp and hit T, making Minako disappear and reappear behind Toichi. Toichi spun, the force-field dome surrounded them so neither of their opponents could get to them.

But the sand started building around it, quickly. The force-field was rapidly encased with grains, leaving Sasuke's and Neji's screens in the dark.

"OK... plan." Sasuke breathed, straining his eyes against the darkness. He could see the outline of Toichi, barely. "I will teleport us to the kunai behind Gaara. Then we can take them out."

"That's your only strategy, isn't it?"

"I doubt they'll realize we can teleport through the sand."

Neji sighed, "Alright. Just don't lose."

"Ten seconds. Just keep holding the shield."

He waited with bated breath, watched as Neji's chakra bar slowly ticked downwards and he held firm against the sand pushing against the force-field. "Three... two..."

Minako lurched forward and Sasuke hit T. They landed behind Gaara and Sasuke grabbed the kunai stuck in the ground. Neji's force-field had canceled the moment he had Minako teleported the two of them outside, which caused the sand to start collapsing in on itself. Sasuke quickly lined up the shot and clicked.

But before Gaara could turn... before Sasuke could see if the kunai landed, a rush of heat blasted against his face. Wires from the PCs went flying first, then the monitors and the PCs themselves were ripped from their places on the desks. Sasuke turned, his arms flying over his face in hopes of guarding himself against the explosion from the second row. Bodies and chairs flew. People were screaming.

He hit the stage, feeling a numb rush over him. Something toppled over him. He saw Neji, laying shock still with his monitor and desk crushing him. Kakashi had gone through the curtains that were set up behind them to block all the ugly computer equipment that made this event run. Sai and Lee... he couldn't see them... Where were they? He tried to move. He couldn't. He looked around and saw that not only was his desk on him, but the decorative podium that had separated the two teams had landed square on his back.

The other team... were they alright? He could see their coach, slowly pulling himself to his feet with a hefty amount of blood pouring from his head. Everyone else from their team, however, was buried under debris.

Sasuke struggled once more, using his right arm to pull himself a little further out of the wreckage. It was no use. He was laying belly down with a heavy podium on top of him. There was no need for him to try and squeeze his way out of this mess.

And then the building shook again.

ooooo

Sakura Haruno stood at her table in the meet and greet hall of the convention. A young girl took a photo with her and ran off. She smiled, adjusting the ribbon that held back her hair as she beckoned forward the next fan in her short line. And short was OK with her. All around her, the bigger streamers were getting lines that reached the end of the room, that couldn't even fit the hall. She, on the other hand, could take time with her guests. She could greet them, hug them, sign a photo...

"Oh, thank you!" she chirped as a round woman presented her a knitted beanie. Sakura pulled off the ribbon and fitted the hat over her head. She grinned, "How do I look?"

"Absolutely adorable. I made it myself! And and..." from her bag, she retrieved another knitted item, this time a very, very long scarf that was a little too bulky for the summer outside the convention center, "this is from my daughter. She loves you very much. Unfortunately, she had a camp to go to so I promised her I'd come meet you."

Sakura cooed and accepted the pink and white scarf that was so obviously made with love. She draped it around her shoulders and beckoned for the older woman to take a selfie with her. She also requested a signature for her daughter which Sakura wholeheartedly accepted.

"I absolutely, absolutely love you." an awkward man said from the other side of her table after the woman had left.

Sakura just smiled at him. "Would you like a picture?"

"Please?" he squeaked out.

The love and support were almost too much for her. She hugged, she took selfies. Each fan of hers brought a different, but equally important interaction to her meet and greet table and she loved each and every one of them. A warmth filled her with every person who greeted her at her booth.

Little arms slipped away from her neck when there was a loud boom and the building suddenly shook. As if by instinct, she grabbed the girl protectively and looked around as the entire meet and greet hall went silent. Quiet murmurs rippled through the wave of people. The girl's father slowly peeled his daughter away from Sakura, which she allowed. A security guard appeared at the far end of the line of streamers and whispered to the first one. She witnessed the ripple effect of that streamer motioning to the rest of them that they had to exit.

Warning lights began to flash around the giant room, the fire alarm started to screech. Sakura gave an apologetic look to her few remaining fans and followed her peers into a room where they'd be able to filter out of the building without going through the crowd.

Whispers from her peers, all asking questions about what happened. She jogged to the front of the pack, looking for a security guard to ask. But she didn't need to hear it from the guards. Around her, people were on their phones and speaking to one another in hushed tones.

"A bomb... at the e-sports stage." one voice said.

Another one whispered, "So many people... what event was it?"

"It exploded during the last round. Just now."

Sakura had heard enough. She turned sharply and headed back towards the way they came. She maneuvered through the evacuees, not caring if anyone saw her heading back toward the evident danger. She was close, almost to the door when a hand caught her wrist.

"If there is a bomb threat, you should leave." a monotonous voice said.

She snapped her head around, glaring. Shikamaru, someone she recognized from Glitch as the one who ruled the strategy category. He was standing, with a disgustingly relaxed pose. She pulled her wrist from his grip, "I refuse to evacuate when I can do something."

"What a bother." Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head with that had that had held her wrist tight. "Fine, lead the way. You may need some brain to your brawn, after all."

Sakura blinked in surprise. She knew him well enough. Shikamaru was lazy. He ended his streams early due to just wanting to stop so he could watch the clouds, or so he said. Yet he still had an avid fan base thanks to his brilliant brain. She nodded and dashed through the door.

ooooo

Minako watched as his kunai sunk into the back of the sand-wielding shinobi in front of him. Yet everything, everyone froze up around him. He tried to move his arm, tried to kick forward... nothing worked. "What's... happening?" he moaned.

Toichi was as equally stuck. He groaned back, "I.. don't know..."

The entirety of their world flickered. And for the first time in maybe since the beginning of his existence, Minako could feel. Fear. Panic spread through his limbs as the world around him disappeared, Then there was nothing again.

Absolutely nothing.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sakura stopped at the door of the room with the e-sports stage. It was an absolute wreck. Furniture was blown apart, debris everywhere... and the bodies... the blood. If it weren't for her experience in the medical field, she probably would be losing her lunch. People were rushing around, trying to usher as many survivors out of the giant room as possible.

She was about to rush in when she turned to look at her companion. Shikamaru had lost all the color in his face. She sighed through her nose, she didn't have time to deal with his hesitation. "There's time to leave if you want to run."

He lifted a hand and pinched his own arm. "Ouch... no, I'm coming." he murmured and pushed himself into the ruined room.

Sakura hummed and followed.

First-responders weren't there yet. Everyone helping the hurt were bystanders caughter by the blast. Her heart just about exploded when she saw a man, drenched in blood, pulling a woman with a mangled leg from the debris. A woman, seemingly mostly unharmed, was holding a bleeding child to her chest and rushing from the room.

"Someone quick! The players are still on stage!" a teenage boy started yelling from the stage as he struggled to remove a heavy pile of wood off someone. He wasn't alone though. A man who was bleeding from the head was wobbling next to him, trying to heave the ruined furniture from someone.

"Shikamaru." Sakura murmured.

He didn't need another word. The two of them were off, jumping over the obstacles in their path until the reached the stage. The structure itself was sturdy enough to walk on, seemingly. It didn't look like the bomb did enough for it to fall in on itself, but Sakura didn't want to take any chances.

"One by one." Shikamaru breathed. They approached the teen. Sakura crouched down and with the four of them, pushed what appeared to be a desk off the first of the players.

A hand shot out and grasped onto Shikamaru's wrist. The owner, a girl with sand-colored hair, let out of moan. "Temari," the older man croaked. He wrapped his hands around her arms and pulled her completely from the rubble. "Temari are you OK?"

"Baki... I think my leg is broken," she then hissed as she tried to stretch her torso, "and maybe a couple ribs."

The man, Baki, nodded. He pulled her up into his arms and looked at the three of them. "I'm going to get Temari out of here. I'll be back to help more. Keep getting the players free."

Sakura nodded, briskly and with confidence. Baki hauled Temari up and he left, trying to be delicate but swift. They continued pushing heavy, broken wood from the others. One boy was knocked unconscious. They would not be able to move him right away. Another clearly had a concussion. He was awake, but damn near useless as his brain was on a lag. The next boy, however, seemed almost untouched.

The boy with shaggy, reddish-brown hair, helped them as they shoved the desk from off him. "Are you OK to help?" Shikamaru asked him with a grunt as he heaved the quiet boy to his feet. He cast an eye to the other four people still under the wreckage on the stage. He seemed to ponder for a moment, which made Sakura uncomfortable. Anyone who had any feelings at all would either be eager to help or be freaking out and rushing for the door.

He must be in shock. That had to be it.

"Yeah." he finally answered.

The next person... was not only under a pile of ruined desk but also a decorative podium of some sort. Sakura's lips flattened into a line. They'd have to be quicker and far more careful with this one. There as a good chance the person under all of that had far more broken bones than the last four.

They positioned themselves, with Sakura standing above the podium to pull it instead of toward the ground with the boys. "Alright, on the count of three," Shikamaru commanded. "One... two... three!"

They heaved. Sakura was sure that, if the quiet boy hadn't helped, they wouldn't be able to move the podium. Slowly, but surely, they removed it from the delicate body beneath. The boy moaned as the desk was moved off him. He was laying on his stomach, intentionally, but with what strength he had, slowly rolled over.

Sakura reached down and scooped him up by the neck, taking in his raven hair and blood-soaked shoulder. "Oh, I know this one," she whispered as the realization hit her.

This... this was...

A computer monitor went tumbling to the side. The group of boys was already pushing forward to help the three remaining victims. Sakura held the bleeding man in her arms, knowing that, with his shoulder wound, he needed to be sitting up. She leaned her head against his. Memories of laughter filled her head. Smiles and warmth were forever etched into her heart from that time, all those years ago.

"I'm sorry," she whispered in his ear and gently petting his hair, "I'm sorry... I should have been here."

A hand grabbed her forearm. She turned her head slightly to see him holding gently onto her. "Sakura." a quiet voice slithered out from his fragile body.

And she just held onto him. Even as the group of three had to untangle wires from around one of the other victims. She didn't let go even when the last boy was dug free. She wouldn't let go, not with all the chaos surging around them. Screaming had mostly stopped. But people were rushing in and out. First-responders were finally beginning to clutter through the doorways to help move victims from this first attack. She refused Shikamaru's hand as he tried to pry her off the man in her arms. Any EMTs that tried to separate them failed. She wasn't letting go for just anyone. He was safe with her.

A gentle touch startled her. She whipped her head around and there, a man with silver hair and a medical face mask over the lower half of his face. The man crouched down next to Sakura. For the most part, he looked OK. There was blood coming from his arms, but not nearly the same amount of Sasuke's shoulder. It was at that moment she realized there were people surrounding her, multiple medical staff had been unsuccessful in taking him away from her.

"Ka—Kakashi?" she stumbled over his name. Why was he here? This was not how she imagined seeing so many old faces again... not when they were covered in blood.

"Ah... Sakura. I thought you might be at Glitch-Con." he answered in such a nonchalant tone, so very typical of her former coach. His face, though keeping a friendly demeanor, turned serious. "Sakura. Let me take Sasuke. Help out here for the time being."

When Sakura breathed in, she ended up sniffing. A warm, wet sensation began dripping down her face at his words. She was... so glad to see him. So glad he was here to help Sasuke. That he was a friendly face in the sudden chaos they had been thrown into. She broke the gentle grip of Sasuke's hand from her arm and wiped away the tears. Then gave him one last, gentle squeeze before slowly transferring him into Kakashi's arms.

Sakura could trust Kakashi. Kakashi was one of the few people she could ever let touch Sasuke in such a fragile state.

With Sasuke saved, she turned back to the rest of the room. She nodded to the medical staff, some of who she knew personally. They needed to save everyone they could.

ooooo

The hospital had suddenly become very busy, he noticed.

He ran a bandaged hand through his blond hair, scratching his scalp has he wandered the familiar halls and trying to stay out of the way of people rushing stabilized patients to rooms and wards that they'd fit in. Initially, he had been tasked to go get his mother a cup of coffee despite him saying they should just go home for now. After all, with the bags under her eyes, she needed sleep, not a boost to keep her awake.

He'd given up trying to get coffee when the halls were suddenly swarmed. Now he wanted to know what was going on.

Rounding a corner he knew would take him to a little break area with a television, he was nearly run over by another wheelchair. He caught sight of the very pale woman sitting there. The woman was simply in shock. They'd have her situated sooner or later, but someone in shock came after the people he had heard needed amputations.

People were losing limbs...

He sat down on one of the stiff couches, the television was already on the news station but silenced. He didn't want to turn on the volume, knowing it would probably trigger anyone running by who had been affected by whatever had happened for the hospital to become such a hot spot. Besides, the last time he had turned on the volume of one of the public televisions, the nurse at the station nearby glared at him and told him to mute it again. Now that had been a scary woman.

So, he left the sound off and read the subtitles that flashed slowly over the bottom of the screen. Two anchors were talking and from what he understood, a bomb had been set off. Where? He didn't catch that part. It wasn't the first bomb and it wouldn't be the last. Again, he scratched his scalp as he watched the television.

The screen swapped from the anchors to footage taken from a Glitch stream. Wait—he knew that setup. The stage, the banner across the top of it that read "Grand Shinobi Showdown". The camera of the Glitch stream changed from a wide view from the audience to a sweeping pan over the players, then back to a wide shot before the camera shook. Surprisingly, the camera survived the impact, although it was covered with dust and debris and now filming, crooked. The screen then swapped to a live feed outside the convention center that was currently housing Glitch-Con. Emergency vehicles and bystanders were huddled outside.

He smacked his fist against the plastic arm of the couch and jumped to his feet.

He followed the familiar path. Past victims who didn't need to be in the ER, letting nurses rush through the halls. Doctors he saw on a daily basis suddenly looked much more worn out and older than usual.

His feet found their way to the room in the ICU he had been to too many times within the past couple weeks. He... hated this room, hated this door. All he wanted to do was never return to it. But that wasn't going to happen, not until...

Taking a deep breath, he grabbed onto the cold handle and pushed the door open. The privacy screen he knew was there covered the face of the person lying in bed. He didn't want to look at them. Instead, his eyes bore into the woman sitting on the foot of the bed. She was sitting, back bent with a depression that weighed her down further than a dumbbell on a piece of floss. The bags under her eyes were darker than the night sky. And her hair long, red hair was sticking up everywhere.

She looked as if she hadn't slept in days.

"Mom," he said, clearing his throat and trying to sound authoritative. She didn't respond at first, so he said, louder, "Mom!"

She jumped, nearly a foot in the air. She straightened her back and smiled weakly. "Oh, sorry Naruto. I was... just thinking. Come here." she held open her arms, beckoning him forward.

Naruto stood firmly in the doorway. "Mom, there's been a bombing at the convention center. We should get out of the way. We can come back after you've gotten some rest at home."

Her face fell. And his heart nearly exploded with guilt. He hated treating her like this. He loved his mother... to death. Naruto would go to the ends of the earth to make her happy. But right now... right now he had to give her tough love. He had to be strong for both of them.

With slow, creaking movement, she stood up. Before she stumbled toward him and the door, she took a step closer to the person in bed and leaned toward them. He heard the sound of her gentle kiss and he turned and left. She took a moment longer to follow him out, with a sad look on her face. "I wish you'd say bye to him."

His shoulders tensed, his face hardened. "I won't do that... because there's no use to saying bye." He laid a soft hand on his mother's shoulder. "I won't say bye, because I know he'll wake up." he grinned at her before pulling his mother into a hug and letting her bury her face in his shoulder.

It was strange to him still, being taller than his beloved mother.

ooooo

Sasuke knew a lot.

He knew his family was one of wealth and power. That his name had influence behind it that few others did. He knew a lot about the games he played, especially Shinobi Showdown. He knew his teammate's names and their favorite characters to play. He knew the names of his childhood friends. The name of the next door neighbor's dog. How to calculate the circumference of a circle. And the first 25 numbers of PI.

He knew a lot of things.

But right now, none of that mattered. Right now, he was numb.

He could hear a machine beeping somewhere to his left but he dare not open his eyes.

There was hushed talking in his room. Voices he recognized. He still did not dare open his eyes.

He didn't want to know what his world looked like.

A hand squeezed his right one. It was a masculine one, one he knew well. The fingertips that caressed his thumb had been the ones to tap on his forehead so many times before.

Brother... the word echoed through his mind as he registered what words were being said.

"I should have set up the security detail myself." his brother was murmuring, "This would have never happened if I had just..."

"If you had what? Been there?" the sweet voice of his mother sounded a little... frustrated? "Itachi... it's likely you would've been hurt, too."

Sasuke dared his eyes to open, just slightly. Only enough to see out from under his eyelashes. Itachi was sitting next to him, hunched over, with their mother resting her forehead on his shoulder. Her hands were wrapped around Itachi's upper arm, holding on so tightly her knuckles turned white.

"I just... this shouldn't have happened. Not to Sasuke... not to anyone, but especially not Sasuke." Itachi lifted his free hand pressed his fingers into his eyes.

A pang of pain shot through Sasuke's system. He took a moment before curling his fingers around Itachi's hand a little tighter. His movement made Itachi lift his head quickly. "Sasuke?"

"You're not supposed to cry, brother." Sasuke's throat was rough and his voice came out as more of a croak than anything that sounded remotely like human language. His head lolled to the side and he opened his eyes a tiny bit more. His mother's head was now lifted and they were both beaming with relief.

Itachi's hand was like a death grip. "Sasuke... it's so good to see you awake."

"My baby..." his mother whispered, also leaning forward and resting a hand on his leg. Or at least he thought it was his leg. He couldn't tell. He was numb.

"I'm numb." was all he could think to say.

Itachi cracked a grin. "Yeah. They have you on some pretty strong painkillers." he began to quietly list off every injury Sasuke had sustained from the bomb going off. "Five cracked ribs. Your leg was dislocated. Plenty of shrapnel in your arms. Luckily, your spine was intact. No ruptured organs, though if you were under that podium for much longer you might have become a pancake."

The way Itachi was speaking. It was almost too cheerful. He stared his brother down, hard. "How long?"

"What do you mean?"

"How long until I can get back to the game?" Sasuke specified. He had a final to win. The damn bomber had interrupted the last, epic battle.

When Itachi's face turned grim, Sasuke's heart began to sink. The lines around Itachi's brows became apparent as he furrowed them, trying to figure out how to say the next words. With every tick of the clock, Sasuke's stomach became more and more twisted.

"Sasuke... you've got nerve and muscle damage in your shoulder." Itachi started. He pulled back slightly and took a deep breath before continuing. "The doctor says... you maybe get mobility back in your arm with time... but you'll have lost feeling. And will probably never play on a professional level ever again."

There is was. All hope, all heart... it plummeted down to his stomach. No, further. Every bit of hope he ever had to sit down and continue his career was gone. He felt his heart and soul evaporate. There as no coming back from this. His dreams were shattered.

He let loose a shattered breath and that was it. "I see." was all he said.

Sasuke knew a lot of things.

The fact that he would never play another e-sport tournament was one of them.

ooooo

Naruto grabbed the clean linen from the wall. A shower was just what he had needed after the long day of caring for his mother, making sure she was fed and that she had fallen asleep. He tied the towel around his waist and stopped in front of the fogged up mirror. He pressed his good arm against the glass and whipped the mist away, leaving droplets in the smudge's wake.

He stared straight at the bright blue eyes and frowned. Why couldn't he have inherited his mother's gray ones? He'd be far happier seeing those every time he saw himself.

Taking two fingers from his left hand, his good one, he tugged at the dark shadows beneath his eyes. He was only twenty-two, yet the last few weeks had taken a toll on his appearance, health, and his head. He'd be lying if he didn't find himself in a sometimes crippling depression when his mother wasn't around. But when she was? He had to be the strong one. He drove them to and from the hospital every day. He was the one who made sure she was eating, and not just ramen. He was the mom right now.

He let a sigh escape through his nose and he grabbed for a roll of clean bandages and set to wrapping his right forearm. It was healing. Slowly. Sometimes he'd look at it and see fresh, pink skin. Often times, it was just as hideous and mangled without any progress. But he didn't care, couldn't care. His arm injury was in the past. He couldn't fret on it.

He got dressed and quickly ran a comb through his hair before leaving the bathroom. Naruto bypassed his old room and continued down the hall of his parents' home until he was standing outside his mother's door. Slowly, quietly, he pushed it open. His parents decorated their bedroom just like the rest of the house; pretty simple. There were shelves that housed knickknacks and family pictures, and that was about it. The only thing that seemed to stand out was that the small sofa they had pushed up against the wall was covered with pillows, and blankets that were tucked and pushed aside side, similar to if someone had jumped out of bed without making it after.

Naruto sat down on the sofa. Across from him, on the bed, his mother was fast asleep. He had made sure she had been tucked under the blankets, all snug... but she had pushed away the majority of the blankets. A little chuckle pushed its way from his lips without him realizing. She really was like a kid.

A vibration next to him alerted him to his phone he had almost completely forgotten about. He tended to forget about his phone a lot. Even would let it go without a charge for weeks if he had the luxury to. The past few weeks, it was never below forty-percent.

He scooped it up, unlocking it with ease and reading the new text message from Hinata.

"How was it today?" it read.

Naruto wasn't quite sure how to reply. Today was pretty much a repeat of most days, except it was far easier to get his mother to leave with the excuse of the hospital being overrun with trauma victims. He looked back down at his phone and typed out the reply, remembering to add an I love you at the end. She loved it when he did that.

It had been a while since he had last seen her... a couple days ago she had brought him lunch at the hospital, but it wasn't quite the same as walking into the shared apartment and receiving a sweet hug and kiss. He'd pick her up and spin her and keep her close for five minutes while standing in the threshold until she poked him on the nose and told him to let her go. They'd laugh. He'd kiss her forehead. She'd blush, despite them lip-locking just a few moments prior.

Being with Hinata had changed him for the better. He couldn't imagine being without her.

He glanced up at his mother as he locked his phone. A sadness wrapped around his heart as he imagined what she was going through. What if it were he and Hinata in that situation instead of his mother and... "Goodnight, Mom," he whispered before tucking himself into the makeshift bed.

He burrowed the side of his head into the pillow, trying to keep his mind away from everything. But it was difficult. The events from the day replayed in his head as if it were a sick horror movie visual that just lodged itself in your brain and didn't leave. But today wasn't a horror movie. It was real. People had died today. They'd lost limbs and suffered at the hands of selfish people who wanted to see people suffer.

His phone buzzed once more in his hand. Hinata's latest text messaged flashed briefly across the notifications and he reacted to it just in time to open it. "I'll stop by the hospital tomorrow. I'll bring you and your mother some lunch. Goodnight, Naruto. I love you too."

Hinata... He really didn't deserve her unconditional love and support. He put the screen up to his lips and kissed it as if it were a substitute for her forehead.

xxxxx

A/N: Phew. I've been sitting on these three chapters for a while... Time to go back to writing. I'm really excited to see where this story takes us. Also, hi. Thanks for anyone who is ready. I'm literally uploading all these of these at the same time since they were all done.

If you enjoy it so far, thank you. If you don't, well thanks anyway for giving it a chance.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Naruto had made his mother shower before he'd take her anywhere.

She had somehow—thankfully—slept through the night, unlike many nights before when she would wake up in a panic and in turn wake Naruto with her frantic movements. Not that he minded, he usually didn't sleep.

Three weeks ago, the only appliance in the kitchen he ever touched was the microwave. If anyone had told him he'd be making scrambled eggs every single morning, he would have laughed. When Hinata or his mother didn't cook for him, he relied on cup ramen for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

He pushed the yellow egg mess around the pan, cursing at himself quietly to find it was already turning into a black brick.

How in the world did people cook? It certainly wasn't the way he was doing it. But every video he'd watched on how to make so-and-so meal, every recipe he relied on, all turned out to be duds in the water. He couldn't replicate any of it.

He had intended on making both he and his mother eggs and toast, but that wasn't going to happen. He scraped away as much of the black part as he could, leaving behind enough for one person. He certainly wasn't letting his mother leave the house without eating. He'd have to wait until Hinata arrived at the hospital later on with lunches like she said she would.

A small smile crept across his face at the thought of his beautiful girlfriend. "Hinata... I miss you," he whispered, the image of her lavender eyes and long, flowing hair danced in his vision.

"Naruto," a soft voice murmured from behind him, which successfully interrupted his daydream. He peered over his shoulder to see his mother standing at the entrance of the kitchen, her hair wrapped up in a towel and wearing her white bathrobe. She padded gently up next to him, leaned her cheek against his shoulder and hugged his arm.

"Good morning, Mom," he kissed her on the top of her head. She pressed her own lips against his shoulder and squeezed his arm before she let go. Naruto grabbed the plate that he had intended for her and shoveled the good eggs onto it. "Here. Once you've eaten and gotten dressed, we'll head for the hospital."

She stared at the plate, absentmindedly for a second. Mom let out a small hum before she turned her stormy eyes up to him. "Have you eaten?" she asked, her voice sad and meek, completely different from the woman Naruto had grown up with.

But she still thought of him first. She was concerned for his well-being. She was still Mom, somewhere under the depression. Naruto grinned at her, "Yeah. Eat up. Hinata will be visiting us at the hospital today and bringing food. I'm sure she's excited to see you."

"Ah... Hinata will?" Mom's eyes sparkled for a second and she let herself smile up at him. She lifted a hand and rested it on his cheek with a tender touch. He let her but didn't lean into her touch as he would have a few years prior. "You remind me so much of your dad." he watched a sudden burst of moisture fill her eyes. Naruto's shoulders involuntarily tensed up.

He ducked away from her hand and nudged the plate into her other one. "Go eat. I'm going to get ready." Naruto darted away, trying to keep his pace steady. But he'd be lying if he said he wasn't running away from watching his mother cry.

She was crying so much these days. She never used to cry. His mother was the strongest person he knew. But he guessed even the strongest people could be broken eventually. He couldn't watch her tears anymore. Couldn't bear the thought of her suffering and him not being able to do a damn thing.

He had thrown his suitcase in his old room, a room that his parents had refused to change after he had moved out. It was definitely the most cluttered room in the entire house. His old clothing from school hung in the closet, model cars and planes sat on shelves. He had countless volumes of manga lining a bookshelf. None of that mattered. The suitcase was already open on his old bed and he rummaged through the clothes, looking for something nice to wear for when Hinata showed up. He had not really thought about trying to impress his girlfriend when he was quickly packing a bag to spend a week or two with his mother. Huffing, he settled on just a white shirt and black pants. He'd wear his signature orange jacket over it.

After changing, he didn't find his mother in the kitchen or eating at the table. The plate, however, was empty and sitting in the sink. Even in her depression, she was motivated by one thing, and that was his promises to take her back to the hospital.

In the time it took for Naruto to find the plate and grab his car keys, his mother reappeared. Her hair was tied up in a low ponytail and her clothing was mismatched like she grabbed the first things in her closet. She walked up to him and tugged on his orange sleeve. "Come, Naruto. Let's go," she said with a rushed and impatient tone.

That little bit of excitement in her face sent a rush of hope and longing through him like a lightning bolt. She was gone before it could evaporate and leave him in pieces. She was gone before she could see his face turn stony and depressed. His mom didn't need to see him falling apart and wishing things were the same.

He picked up his shoulders and headed for the door.

—

In the hospital, Naruto followed his mother at the pace of molasses—compared to her quick steps. She wanted to see the person in that room, needed to see them. He... couldn't bring himself to go back in there, not yet, anyway. He tried not to think of it. Forced his mind elsewhere. Anything. The dog on the street that they drove by on the way to the hospital. That was a cute dog. It bounced as it walked on the street that led toward the hospital. Toward the beeping that was the only sound that kept his mother company in that room. Toward the lonely, depressing existence that—

A yell interrupted his thoughts. An angry, heart-shattering yell followed by a crash of something against a wall or something. His mother, at least fifty paces ahead of him, stopped dead and stared into a room. He didn't think, he knew he had to get her moving again, get her away from that rage-filled person. Naruto sprinted forward. He easily caught up to her and placed a hand on her back.

"Ne, Mom. Keep going. I'm sure he's waiting for you," he faltered, glancing toward the open door that she was staring into. A chair was laying across the floor, having clearly been thrown and bounced off the cabinet across from whoever was in there. "I'll take care of this. G-go on, you need to sing to him."

Mom turned her eyes to him and blinked. He was right. "OK, but be safe. Don't do anything stupid." her first couple steps were hesitant but she quickly started back off toward the ICU.

Naruto turned toward the door, scratching his chin before walking toward it. What was he getting himself into?

ooooo

Sasuke had a temper problem and he knew it. Though he never went and sought out help for it, even though multiple people had suggested that he did.

He didn't need help. He needed his stupid arm to work.

His mother had to leave, had to go back to work, leaving him with Itachi who was typically fairly good at keeping his temper in check. But Itachi left to go to the cafeteria to get food... it was breakfast time, after all. Just because his world stopped turning the day before didn't mean the rest of the world had to go without.

His left hand lay on his lap, palm facing upward, mocking him. With what felt like his entire brain, he willed his pinkie to twitch. He commanded his fingers wrap around into a fist. Nothing, absolutely nothing. There was no feeling, no pain, and not because of the pain-killers he was on to stop his ribs from hurting as they healed.

"Don't lose your cool," the words came out through gritted teeth, "keep your head about you, breathe," he told himself.

But the longer he stared at his hand, the harder it got to breathe regularly. Nothing seemed to combat his bubbling rage. Not counting to ten, not thinking of cute animals. All he could see was a piece of dead weight laying across his lap.

He snapped.

Sasuke let out a blood-curdling, rage-possessed yell. He grabbed the closest thing to him that wasn't bolted to the ground or wall and catapulted it across the room. The cheap chair bounced off the cabinet, making a terrible clacking noise as it landed on the linoleum. His breaths felt scratchy against his throat and he clenched his jaw. He wanted to throw something else. Anything.

His eyes darted around.

Anything.

But nothing was in arms reach.

The intensity of his eyes landed on the hunk of flesh in his lap. His good arm reeled back, past his head, and then swung down with all his might. His fist collided with the empty palm. Again, he pulled his hand back and—

"Punching yourself isn't going to get you out of the hospital any quicker, y'know?" an unfamiliar voice stopped him from striking down onto his open, dead palm for a second time. His neck popped as he snapped his vision toward the new voice.

A man, about his age, stood next to the privacy-curtain by his door. He was standing relaxed, with one hand in the pocket of his orange jacket and the other one rubbing the back of his neck. But what really stuck out to Sasuke was the man's bright blue eyes and blond hair sticking up in different directions. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought Minako had somehow popped into existence just told scold him. Obviously, he couldn't be Minako. Minako was just a character from a video game he used to play.

Sasuke watched this blond man walk over to the chair. "And damaging hospital property is probably not a smart thing to do." he crouched and picked up the chair. At this point, Sasuke noticed the man's right arm was wrapped with white bandages.

Sasuke glared at him. "Who are you?" he hissed, baring his teeth slightly at the intruder.

The man rose his hands up as if in attempt to show he was no threat. "I'm the guy that was walking by and figured he'd save you from having to deal with hospital security. Trust me," his hand was back to his neck, "you don't want to be sedated because you got angry and started hurting yourself. I've been there, it sucks."

Sasuke continued to glare at him... but he had a point. He sat back and let his shoulders fall, trying to let his face relax as much as possible.

His new companion shuffled his feet and grinned, "But I don't suppose I answered the way you wanted me to. My name is Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki." the blond spun the chair to face Sasuke and plopped down into it, reclining lazily with both arms behind his head now.

This man he didn't know at all was getting awfully comfortable.

"No need to introduce yourself," the man's eyes bore into him. Sasuke's lips flattened. Of course, he knew who was Sasuke was. He wasn't about to go be friends with this random man. Naruto tipped that chair back, putting an ankle over the opposite knee as he drank Sasuke in. "But it'd be nice to know your name, too."

Ah—so he didn't know who he was.

He debated it for a moment. This idiot of a man seemed harmless enough, but was "harmless enough" enough for him to go telling him his name? What if he went blabbing to the press that Sasuke Uchiha was stuck in the hospital with a busted up arm? He wasn't ready to tell the world the state he was in.

After a moment of deliberating, he simply said, "My name is Sasuke."

His new companion nodded. "Well, Sasuke. Any hobbies?"

Boy, was this guy really comfortable.

"I'm a gamer." he mentally cursed himself for the present tense he used. There was no way he could be a true gamer after yesterday.

The chair fell back into its typical position. This Naruto character leaned forward, "You wouldn't happen to like Shinobi Showdown?"

Damn this guy. "Yeah."

"Favorite character?"

Sasuke just wanted to shut the world away. This Naruto guy was making this very difficult with all the questions. "I don't really have one..."

"I play Minako pretty much exclusively. Not a lot of people appreciate him since he doesn't have very many jutsus... but I know a secret." Naruto leaned forward, his chin propped on his fingers and smiling a wicked smile.

Alright, now Sasuke was interested. He eyed Naruto, one brow raised. Naruto knew something he didn't? What sort of secret could a nobody like this guy have about one of Sasuke's favorite characters? He leaned forward but tried not to seem as excited as he really was.

Naruto seemed to see the slight change in his demeanor. A wicked grin crossed the stranger's face.

"Get better, and I'll tell you."

Sasuke was about to threaten him, was about to lunge at him from the bed. The only thing that stopped him was the sound on footsteps. Itachi reappeared from behind the curtain with a tray of food perched on one hand. His black eyes darted from Naruto to Sasuke, then back to Naruto. Words weren't necessary. Naruto picked up on the silent question his brother was asking with his foreboding presence.

"Ah, you must be Sasuke's person," Naruto stood and started to cross the room, toward the door. He leaned a little into Itachi, who didn't flinch, "I was just stopping Sasuke from having too much of a fit. No need to thank me." he waved a hand in front of his own face and then turned and winked at Sasuke, "I'll stop by tomorrow. You better be feeling a bit better. Ciao." and Naruto disappeared with a grin.

Sasuke watched Itachi stare after the bubbly-blond before he turned his focus back on him. They stared at each other for a moment. "I'll need to close the door from now on to avoid any more unwanted interactions." Itachi decided and glided across the floor.

Sasuke looked down at his dead hand as Itachi settled back down next to him. His brows knit together and he pondered over the brief conversation he had just had with that near-stranger. He looked around at Itachi, who was drizzling vinaigrette over a prepackaged salad.

"No." Sasuke found himself saying.

Itachi stopped and raised an eyebrow at his brother. "No what?"

"Keep the door open."

His brother looked almost taken aback and he didn't blame him. Sasuke wasn't exactly a social butterfly. He much preferred to be alone, or if he had to interact, it be with people he already knew. Asking to leave the door open for more interactions was so... unlike him.

He leaned back into his pillows.

Itachi smirked slightly and continued tending to his salad.

ooooo

"Oh, hello Hinata." Sakura greeted her as she walked up to the counter with three boxes wrapped carefully and resting in her hands.

Hinata grinned at Sakura, who was currently dressed in her nurse's best. After the eventful day yesterday, she wasn't surprised to see the dark circles under her friend's eyes. The hospital was still abuzz with activity following the terrorist attacks at the convention center, but most of the patients had to of been taken care of, stabilized or under careful watch.

"I should have made one for you. I should have known you'd be working today. After..." Hinata trailed off, feeling terrible for almost bringing it up. But Sakura quickly reassured her.

"It's OK, Hinata. We've got the cafeteria, though it definitely isn't on the same level as your cooking." Sakura joked, resting her jaw on her hand as she leaned on the desk.

Hinata chuckled. Sakura was always optimistic. There was no bringing her down, even in the face of disaster.

"I'm assuming Naruto is near the ICU?" Hinata's voice was hushed as she asked the question. She didn't like talking about such a sensitive topic, but she needed to know where he was. Sometimes he wasn't where he should be.

"If he's expecting you, I'm sure he's in that area," Sakura answered in an equally quiet tone. She straightened herself, "I've got to go make my rounds. Try not to get lost." she winked and hustled off, leaving Hinata with herself and the lunches she made.

Lost? No way, she'd been through these halls before. Been to the ICU countless times. All she had to do was follow the signs. In fact, it didn't take her long at all to reach the little public area where she would often find Naruto waiting for his mother. This time for no different.

Naruto was laying across one of the uncomfortable couches, eyes shut and a little bit of drool dripping down his chin as he slept. Even before the incident, Naruto had a hard time sleeping. He had had enough trauma before they had met to be nightmare fuel every night and he often told her that laying next to her, holding her, was the only thing that kept the nightmares at bay. Her poor Naruto...

She swept up to him and knelt down next to him, running a gentle knuckle over the peculiar birthmarks on his cheeks. They were yet another thing she absolutely adored about him. Hinata slowly leaned forward and tenderly left a kiss on his temple before unraveling one of the boxes and laying it next to his head... just in case he woke up before she was back from delivering his mother's lunch.

With one last kiss, she retreated to a door number she knew by heart but had only been to a handful of times. How many times had Naruto confided in her about this specific door, about this room? Gathering her courage, she softly tapped on the wooden door before allowing herself to enter.

Kushina was sat at the edge of the bed, just barely visible from the door. She had been watching the door, carefully, ready to tell whoever was at the door to go away if she didn't like their face. But her defenses fell as her eyes landed on Hinata and she beckoned her forward with a motherly tenderness that Hinata only ever received from her.

Hinata crept through the room quietly, not daring to disturb the almost silence. The only noise that filled the room was the low hums and beeps of the hospital machinery connected to the man laying on the bed.

She had seen him before in this state, but it came to her as a surprise each time. His blond hair that had strands of white beginning to peak through was flattened over the pillows his head was propped on. His eyes were closed. And all sorts of machines were monitoring his vitals. Despite his strong heartbeat and him breathing on his own, Minato Namikaze lay silent on the bed in front of her. It was a mournful sight. No wonder Naruto couldn't enter the room. He couldn't bear to see his father in such a fragile state, especially when his mother was not much better off.

"Good afternoon, Kushina," Hinata greeted, bending slightly to give Kushina a loving hug. Kushina wrapped her arms around her and clung tight, as if desperate for the touch.

"Hello, Hinata. It's so good to see you." Kushina responded as she finally let go of her.

Hinata squeezed her shoulder gently, with a smile, before sitting next to the woman who treated her like her own daughter. She removed the last two boxes from the handkerchief, giving one to Kushina with a slight bow to her head.

"Oh, Hinata. You're always so polite. No need to bow your head to me," Kushina waved her hand, but accepted the boxed lunch. "Did Naruto get one?" she asked quickly, probably not wanting to eat unless she made sure her son was taken care of.

"Yes. He's sleeping on the couch out there. I left him one for if he wakes up before I get back to him." Hinata explained.

There was a silence again, not uncomfortable but heavy. Hinata's eyes wandered up to Minato's relaxed face. He looked so peaceful. But she was so used to him with his eyes open, trying to run an office while balancing time with his family time—which he was splendid at. She was used to Minato's eyes dancing with glee at family brunches that she was so thankful to be invited to. And she missed it. She missed that energy, along with the cheerful way Kushina would greet her. She missed Naruto's random chuckling that she found so endearing.

She missed the Namikaze family of before.

Kushina shifted in the corner of her eye and Hinata respectfully looked down at her folded hands.

"I wish he would come in." Kushina murmured. She leaned forward and stretched her upper body across the bed, her arms crossed over her husband's lap. "Naruto, I mean. Minato loves him so much. I think... if he were to come and talk to him more, he might wake up faster.

"But I get it... it's hard to see him like this. When he was once so full of life..." Kushina's voice slowly trailed off and her body shook violently. She inhaled a shattering breath and buried her face in the linen. "No one should have to go through this. No one." she continued, though her voice now muffled by the mattress.

Hinata lay a hand on Kushina's back and slowly ran her nails over the fabric of her shirt, gently moving in a, hopefully, soothing pattern. Kushina continued to sob into the covers, though she actively tried to restrain herself. Hinata didn't tell her what to do, didn't offer any words of comfort or encouragement. She just sat there, she allowed herself to be there for the broken woman in front of her.

Eventually, Kushina calmed down and hugged her. Hinata left the room with a heavy heart, holding onto the box that was meant for her. She turned the corner, headed back to find Naruto.

He was sitting, with his head bowed and the lunch she made for him in his hands. Hinata tiptoed up to him, though she wasn't quiet enough. His head snapped up, and for a second, he looked as if someone had stolen his puppy. It was quickly replaced by extreme joy as he saw her standing in front of him. He put the box to the side and engulfed her into a sweeping hug.

"Oh, I thought you had left. I woke up with a box lunch and no Hinata!" he croaked, his face in her hair and arms wrapped securely around her. Before she could say anything, he lifted her from her feet, spun her once, then set her down and pulled back to gaze into her eyes.

Hinata giggled before placing her free hand on the crook of his neck. She watched as Naruto leaned forward, his eyes slowly becoming heavy-lidded. Happily, she stood on her toes and met him halfway, completing the kiss with a delicate touch. Another thing about him she absolutely loved was that he never pushed, never deepened any kisses unless she made the first move. Their relationship had remained innocent, mostly due to her own reservations.

Naruto pulled away from their kiss and leaned his forehead against hers, "I've missed you, Hinata." he whispered, his eyes looking desperately into hers.

Something about that string of words made her heart soar. She didn't like being apart, but when he looked at her like that, said things like that... she couldn't help but think there was a hint of truth behind the saying "absence makes the heart grow fonder". Hinata beamed at him, her thumb running across his jawline. He needed to shave.

"I've missed you, too. So much." she breathed back.

He smiled and tilted his head up to kiss her on her forehead. Without fail, she felt her cheeks fill with heat. He insisted on this every time. He said it was adorable. She was inclined to disagree, but if it made him happy she'd let him kiss her forehead anytime. He beamed at her blush, grinning uncontrollably.

Naruto was just so precious.

"Oh... Naruto." she said with a sudden realization, "There is something I'd like to do after we eat." she looked down toward her feet, her voice shifting to a melancholy tone.

He picked up on the tone change without missing a beat. "What is it, Hinata?"

"My cousin... he was in one of the explosions yesterday. I should go visit him." her hand pulled away from his neck and one finger twirled through her hair.

She chanced a glance up at him. Naruto was frowning. He had had enough on his plate. Maybe she shouldn't have mentioned wanting to see Neji. She should have just eaten with him and gone on her own, without worrying him any more than he already was. Her teeth found her lip. "N-nevermind." she murmured, "you shouldn't have to worry about... about..." she felt herself begin to choke up.

His arms were around her once more. She found herself face first in his strong shoulder, taken aback for a moment at the sudden embrace. It took her a moment to realize that this was Naruto. He'd always put her first over his own complex feelings. Hinata pressed her eyes his the orange cloth of his jacket, the jacket she had come to adore.

"Of course, Hinata," his voice was refreshing. He held her tighter, "of course we'll go see Neji. There's no way that bastard is getting out of this hospital without me visiting daily."

A smile curled onto her lips and she let out a sigh. Naruto hadn't changed one bit, even after the accident that put his father into a coma. He was still the man who put others first. He still cared far more deeply than any other person she'd met or would ever come to meet.

She stood there, soaking up his embrace. He would always be the brightest light of her life.

ooooo

They walked hand-in-hand down the halls. Hinata knew where they were going and he trusted her. He also knew the hospital almost like the back of his left hand at this point. If they got lost somehow he'd be able to lead them back to a point they'd recognized. But he didn't need that knowledge, because he trusted her.

It was maybe three in the afternoon. They had eaten the delicious lunch Hinata had provided and he may have dozed off again. He wasn't quite sure, he couldn't remember falling asleep but he wouldn't have been surprised with how little rest he was actually getting. He just knew that one moment he had his arm around Hinata, the next his head was drooling on her shoulder. She had said it was fine, but he still cursed himself for drooling on his girlfriend.

They approached a door. Naruto quickly recognized the hallway that he had been passing through when that Sasuke guy had started having a fit. This door was maybe three down from that? Maybe he'd go visit that stick-in-the-mud again after. No, he said tomorrow he would. He'd stick to that.

Hinata knocked on the door and slowly pushed it open. The first thing Naruto saw was a teenage girl, curled up on one of the provided chairs. He recognized the girl immediately. Hanabi, Hinata's younger sister.

They gingerly entered the room. Hanabi was definitely fast asleep. But she wasn't alone in the room. An older man hovered over the bed that Neji was sleeping on. He was staring intensely at the spot where he and Hinata appeared and standing like he was ready to strike if need be. The old man's body almost immediately relaxed when they entered his vision. He even let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh, Hinata. I am glad to see you." he addressed her in a clear, strong voice.

Hinata, on the other hand, flinched away slightly, hiding partially behind Naruto. She glanced between her cousin, laying on the bed, and the man next to him. "Hello, Father," she addressed, "How is Neji?"

Hiashi kept his hands crossed in front of his torso, but his forehead twitched. His eyes fell upon his nephew, slumbering away peacefully before answering. "A concussion. He was far luckier than his teammates. I heard one of them is having spinal issues while another now has a useless arm."

So typical of Hiashi to speak of other peoples' tragedies in such a nonchalant tone. Naruto could feel his eyes roll so hard he briefly thought he'd lose his vision. He felt Hinata gently pinch his arm and he made a mental note to try and avoid any more sass in front of her father.

"I was hoping to speak with you, my daughter." Hiashi lowered himself into the chair at the head of Neji's bed. "Though I wasn't expecting an audience..." His eyes buried into Naruto and he successfully kept himself from flinching away from the intensity, "Naruto, how are things?"

Naruto knew exactly what he meant by that question. He tightened his jaw and wrapped an arm around Hinata, pulling her close. She was one of the few things that kept him grounded. He needed her to keep his cool in situations like this. "Could be better." was all he could muster as a reply.

The man shifted, seeming uncomfortable, which was strange for Hiashi. He was cold and calculating usually. But at the moment, he was showing a sort of vulnerability that Naruto had never seen before. Maybe his nephew coming so close to death had shaken him.

"I suppose I'll just come out with it," his eyes shifted from Neji to Hanabi, then finally resting on Hinata, "I am... asking you to come back home. Temporarily." he quickly added the last word when Naruto's face contorted with a hot, boiling urge to throw himself between the two of them. "I know I have not been the best father. I know that you have found happiness living with... Naruto." again with the disrespect masked by his proper form and manners, "But I worry about Hanabi."

The hairs on the back of Naruto's neck were standing to attention. He held fast to Hinata, staring down Hiashi. Did he dare to try and take Hinata away? With an excuse of being worried about Hanabi? What a low blow. He'd show this man the true meaning of disrespect...

"Hanabi?" Hinata's soft voice interrupted his sudden, protective temper. He looked down at her and his heart recoiled involuntarily at the soft gaze she was giving her little sister. If anything could send her back to her father's house, it was concern over Hanabi. He wanted to grab her hand and pull her from that room and retreat far away, to where Hiashi couldn't reach her. Hinata wouldn't want that, though. She was finally coming out of her shell that she had been forced into while living under her father's roof. She'd want to stand up for herself. Who would he be to rob that from her?

Hinata's eyes switched to watching Hiashi. All Naruto could do was keep an arm around her.

"What's the matter with Hanabi?"

Hiashi's forehead and brows seemed to be permanently creased. He didn't make eye contact with his daughter as he spoke, "She has been acting out for a couple years now, ever since you left the house. Neji... was the only person she looked up to and would listen to," the lines around his lips deepened, "I fear with Neji currently incapacitated, she may fall under some terrible influence." The man slowly stood up and crossed the tiny hospital room until he was standing in front of them.

Naruto's arm tensed up around her and he felt her shrink into his side. He wasn't about to let Hiashi touch her. But Hiashi did something totally unexpected. Without any warning, the old man dropped to his knees and folded forward, placing his hands and forehead on the floor at their feet.

"Father!" Hinata gasped, though she tried to, quietly. The stiffness between the two of them melted away as she took a tiny step forward as if to try and coax him to his feet.

"Please. I know I have not been the best father to you, but I beg you. Help Hanabi," he didn't budge, just kept his forehead pressed to the floor as he waited for an answer.

Naruto watched as the proud man—someone who would have never knelt and pleaded—crouched and begged for the assistance of his eldest child. He watched as Hinata lowered herself down to his level and tried with all her might to make him straighten up. His hand was back up on the back of his head, rubbing it as a way of dealing with his unease of the situation.

There was no way she was going to fall for this, right? He was a terrible man and an even worse father. It wasn't Hinata's fault that Hanabi was acting out and it certainly wasn't her job to fix it. Hiashi should have put his foot down a long time ago with Hanabi. He shouldn't have let it come to this. Hinata shouldn't—

"Papa, please."

Naruto's heart drifted slowly into his gut, like a snowflake delicately dancing downward before landing on the ground. Hinata never referred to her father as anything but "Father". Where was this informal "Papa" coming from?

"Papa, I'll help. I'll help. Please lift your head."

He wasn't sure if he was able to mask the pain on his face successfully. Just in case, he brought his bandaged hand back around to bury his emotions into it. The hospital room disappeared from his vision and he turned his back on the father and daughter moment. He suddenly felt as if he were intruding on a private matter instead of keeping Hinata safe from her worst demons. His chest tightened with sudden anxiety.

If Hinata was helping her father and sister... she would be far busier, would not be there as much as he wished her to be there. He'd essentially be losing her in his darkest of days. Hot moisture built around his covered eyes and he gritted down on his teeth.

It was only temporary, his head was trying to tell him. Once Neji was OK things would go back to normal. She'd come back to him and all would be OK.

Except that wasn't true, his anxiety overpowered. It trickled down from his head and encircled his heart with the gasp-worthy pain. It wasn't guaranteed Neji would be OK. It was more than likely that her choosing to assist that man would be the end. She'd go and be swept back into that life and he'd never, ever see her again. The moment she said he'd help her was the moment she had signed her life away to that man.

Naruto was vaguely aware of the voices behind him.

He knew he should be proud of her, stepping in to help. He knew he shouldn't listen to his anxiety, but...

"Naruto..." Hinata's hand touched his shoulder. Even that simplest of touches felt like it should have broken him.

He quickly wiped his eyes and turned. She was standing there with an unsure expression on her face. For an unnerving second, he was sure she was going to end their relationship there and then. Naruto was so sure he was about to lose the only good thing in his life.

Instead, her hand found his, "We need to talk about all this. Schedules and the like... But we should be alright."

The pain around his heart said otherwise.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

She was alone in the long hall, the only thing keeping her company was the soft hum of the lights above her head and the tck tck tck of her feet as she walked. In her hand, her phone was open to her Chirper feed. She reread her own post, twice, three times, a hundred times before she was finally satisfied with the character-restricted update and hit "Post".

Thank you, everyone, for being so patient. No streams for a while still! I'll keep you updated by once we're back we'll have a #fundraiser for the people affected by the #ConventionBomb.#Charity #Worksbeencrazy

She let the screen go dark and Sakura slipped the phone into the front pocket of her scrubs. About a week had passed since the hospital had been overrun with people being rushed into the emergency room. About sixty percent of those people were discharged within a day or two, leaving only the people who had been too close to the blast and had suffered far worse injuries.

She still hadn't gone to see Sasuke.

His family was there almost every day, especially Itachi. When she had run into the older Uchiha, he had told her that his superior made him take a few days off to be with Sasuke. That didn't quite make sense to her. As far as she knew, Itachi was one of Konoha's best detectives. He should have been chasing the bombers down. The only thing she could rationalize was that maybe his superior maybe thought he'd be too emotionally compromised since his little brother was a victim. After all, in crime shows, the protagonist would often be sidelined if their family member was involved in some way to their case... well until they went rogue and solved the case themselves.

With her mind wrapped up in crime shows, she didn't notice a tall figure exiting one of the patient rooms until he was towering over her.

"Itachi!" Sakura gasped, snapping out of the inner monologue of detectives getting burned after going against their bosses to save the day.

Itachi watched her squirm with a deadpan before giving her a polite smile. "Good to see you again, Sakura." he greeted and bowed his head slightly.

He was so handsome and polite. Sakura bit her lip and then smiled back. "You as well, Itachi. Are you leaving for today?" she asked as she noticed his car keys in his hand.

"Yes... I won't be back for a while, either," Itachi looked down with melancholy lining his features and shoulders, "I'm going back to work tomorrow. They can't seem to catch the perp behind the bombings, either."

"Maybe you can wrangle your way onto that team?" Sakura asked with hope written clearly across her face. If anyone could do it, Itachi could.

Itachi stared down the hallway, though his eyes were unfocused. Maybe she shouldn't have said anything? She shuffled her feet, about to correct herself when he spoke.

"I have some ideas. So yes," he turned back to her and smiled again, "hopefully they'll lead somewhere.

"Have you visited Sasuke yet?"

His question caught her off guard. What a quick topic change!

Sakura looked at him, sheepishly. "No... I haven't brought myself to do it. B-besides, all the medical staff have been so busy. I have been assigned to a lot of other cases. Rock Lee has been my big one."

"Ah. Yeah I think I heard a little bit about his issues," his face was solemn but he quickly changed the conversation back to Sasuke, "You should go visit him. I think he'd be glad to see a familiar face. But, for now, I should take my leave." he waved at her and swept away down the hall.

She watched him leave until he disappeared around the corner. In front of her, the door he had exited stood closed. Sasuke was probably trying to sleep, it was getting late in the day, after all.

But her pager was not screaming at her to be somewhere for the first time in a week. And Itachi said he'd probably want to see her.

"OK," she mumbled, glaring down the door, "I'll knock. If he doesn't answer within a minute I'll just leave."

Sakura strode forward, confidently, and planted herself in front of it. Taking a breath, she lifted her fist and knocked. Silence greeted her. Time ticked ever so harshly by. She could feel every last ounce of fiery passion from her determination drip away onto the floor as the seconds rolled by.

"Come in," a familiar voice called from the other side. Relief acted as the vacuum that picked up all the confidence that she had been losing rapidly over the twenty or so seconds where he had not said a word.

Carefully, she tugged on the doorknob and pushed. She tiptoed to the edge of the privacy curtain and peeked around it to spot him staring back at her. Sasuke was sitting in his hospital bed. A television remote rested in his right hand while his left arm lay in a sling that was pressed against his stomach. She inched further into his view.

"Oh, Sakura," he stated simply. The television mounted on the wall went quiet. She hadn't noticed it was on until after he hit the mute button. His eyes traveled up and down her body, taking in her in her scrubs and dark circles under her eyes. "I was wondering when you'd come visit."

"You were expecting me?" she reached up to her face and scratched at her cheek out of what she assumed was nervousness. No one could make her flustered quite the way Sasuke could.

He raised a brow at her, his expression was that of 'of course'. "You practically live in this hospital and you're a friend. Why wouldn't I?"

Sakura felt her shoulders fall and her ego immediately deflated. The word friend repeated in her head, spiraling around and around until there was nothing left but that forsaken word pulsing in every brainwave and swimming through every vein in her body. A friend.

Not that she could blame him. They had known each other as children, played video games together and gotten good together. They'd been picked up by Team Konoha together. But she chose the medical field. She drove her own stream toward the path of charity events and community instead of high skill gameplay like she could've done. Like he had done. After that, they had barely spoken. Sometimes he'd like her Chirper posts and she'd still watch his streams from time-to-time, but there hadn't been much interaction between the two of them since then.

That distance didn't stop her from liking him.

"Oi, you look worse than how I feel," Sasuke's voice pierced through her pity-party, sufficiently popping her rambling inner-monologue. She peered over her hands, which she had not realized she had slapped over her face at some point. Sasuke just gestured to the chair next to him, "Sit. Help me with something."

"Help you with what?" Sakura crossed the floor and lowered herself into the plastic chair. It wobbled as if a screw was loose in one of the legs. She briefly wondered what had happened to make it wobble like that. Sasuke was watching her intensely when she turned back to look at him.

"Help distract me," he said with no hint of emotion what so ever. His voice cracked a little as he continued, betraying him, "I—I feel trapped here. And life is going to be very, very different from now on. I don't want to think about it."

Sakura glanced at his wrapped up arm, but only briefly. Sasuke probably wouldn't appreciate her staring for too long. She reached down, grabbing the chair and bringing it as close to the bed as possible. "I have some really great Chirper pages I follow that post cute animals," she suggested, moving to remove her phone from her scrub pocket. She had it out on the bed when his hand was on hers, stopping her from unlocking her phone.

His gaze was heavy. He had the same intimidating presence his brother had, though Sakura knew that he could be a straight-up pansy sometimes. But today, at this very moment, he oozed with a seriousness that could rival his attitude during competitive matches. She flipped the phone onto its screen and left it laying on the mattress.

"I want to listen to what you've been up to, Sakura." he whispered, his hand was still on top of hers, "You've been doing well, I've seen that. But tell me about stuff. Looking at cute animals isn't going to help."

"Ah, I guess you're right. Wasting time on Chirper is pretty arbitrary," she pulled her hand away, though she noticed he kept his still. Sakura curled her legs onto the chair and leaned her head toward him. "Well... I guess I'll start from the moment I left Team Konoha.

"As you know... I pursued work in the hospital instead of going streaming full-time. Even though Kakashi said I have... had what it took," she lifted her arm to lay it across the back of the chair and rested her head on it. A heaviness pressed against her eyes but she fought the need to sleep, "I can honestly say I don't regret it. I don't think I would have done well in the spotlight."

"So what do you stream?" he asked, making an effort to keep eye-contact. He didn't really ever make eye-contact with people. Sakura could tell losing the ability in his arm was really getting to him. He was asking questions, being more social. This was totally unlike the Sasuke she had known.

She couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corner of her lips. "Shinobi Showdown is popular among my community, for sure... but we play a lot of party games. My subscribers take turns playing with me and we have a lot of fun. We do a lot of charity events, too."

"Charity, huh?" he scoffed, smirking a little toward her, "That sounds so much like you. Always putting others before yourself."

"Well, I stream for others, after all. Streaming was never about me..." she felt her eyes droop but forced them open once more, "I've got an apartment of my own, thanks to this job. I can afford to eat because I help people and get paid to do it. I can give back by creating a community who are just as compassionate as I am." she smiled at the thought. Her Disaccord server was currently overflowing with love and compassion for her and everyone in Konoha. They all understood why she'd be MIA for a week or two and they were fine with it. She knew they missed her, after all, she missed them too. But she knew, in the end, they'd be there, waiting for her to come back and give back.

Sasuke went quiet and watched her. She didn't mind, though the silence was weighing on her eyes. She so desperately fought against their closing. Falling asleep in a patient's room was frowned upon, but she was so tired. She had easily been awake for the past 48 hours, or even longer. Eventually, it overpowered her and her eyes slipped shut without her fighting against them.

ooooo

The forest that surrounded him was dense. Moss hung from the branches and the air was thick with moisture from the murky ground. The cold swamp water bit at his ankles as he waded through it. Searching. Something in his head tugged him forward. He had to find something. Someone? He didn't know, just knew there was an urgent need drove him forward.

He stumbled over a tree root that was hidden by the clouded water and caught himself with his left arm. Sasuke pushed away from the tree, not caring how loud he was being as he splashed. He kept moving through the ever-encroaching darkness, trying desperately to find whatever it was that told him to keep moving. Even as his feet began to drag and stick in the mud under-toe, he pushed his way forward. Even as the water level rose toward his waist, he couldn't stop. He needed to find it. He needed to—

A blast hit him, sending him back into one of the thick trees.

His eyes snapped open. Sasuke whipped his head around trying to get his bearings. This was definitely not the swampy forest he had just been in.

His heart pumped hard and urgent against his sore ribs. He doubled over slightly, wincing at the tenderness of his chest. Sasuke let out a harsh sigh, his forehead twitched. It had been a dream. He brought up his good hand and pressed his fingers against his eyes. Just a dream... but he still felt the need to run.

Vibrating next to his knee made him lift his eyes. A phone was buzzing, loudly demanding the attention of its owner. That... wasn't his phone, though. It took him a heartbeat to remember Sakura. Anxiety spiked from his heart, striking his sinuses, as he turned his head to check if she was there.

The mop of pink hair was dangling from where her head rested on her arm still, her torso slowly expanding and deflating with her breathing. He released a tense breath. She hadn't left. Of course, she hadn't, she wouldn't have left her phone if she did. Speaking of her phone, it stopped buzzing, only to start again with an ever insistent vibrating. He wasn't quite sure what to do. Wake her was probably the responsible thing to do. But she was sleeping... and soundly. He knew her to wake at the smallest disturbance. If she was still asleep through the racket coming from her phone, then she was tired.

Curiosity welled up in him. It was too much to bear. He reached and scooped up the phone, curious to see who was so interested in speaking to Sakura at—he glanced at the phone's clock—8:26 in the morning. He immediately recognized the name. It was one that Sakura had mentioned time and time again during her studies. Tsunade, the woman who Sakura worked under as an apprentice during her on-field training. Sakura had told him before that she was the medical director of the hospital and had helped sway her decision between healthcare and streaming full time. Said that this Tsunade character saw great potential in Sakura. That she would be great... blah blah blah. He knew she was great, even without some old lady.

As far as he was concerned, this Tsunade person had influenced his one good, childhood friend to leave him.

He dropped the phone back down next to his knee. He didn't want to wake her, but he knew he should. Glaring at the buzzing device, he debated. It went silent. He looked at Sakura again. A long, slightly painful sigh escaped his lips and he shifted to tap the closet part of her.

Sasuke gently pressed down on her arm, "Sakura," he called to her. She didn't budge. A little louder, and his touch firmer, he tried again, "Sakura!"

Her head rolled off her arm and dropped. She jerked it upward and he heard her neck or spine pop from having fallen asleep in such an uncomfortable position and moving out of it so quickly. Sakura let out a small groan, taking in her surroundings slowly as if she wasn't quite sure where she was. Once her eyes finally found his, he watched a sudden realization strike her across the face. Her face flushed and she stared back at him, in shock.

"Good morning to you, too," he picked up her phone once again and held it out to her, tapping her arm with the corner of it, "It was ringing off the hook. You should probably check to see if it's urgent."

The moment the phone touched her skin, she broke eye-contact and snatched it from him. It took her a couple swiping motions before her face fell in complete and utter terror. She jumped to her feet. "I've... got to take care of this," she told him, her face apologetic, "I'll be back, I promise!" and she hustled from the room in a panic.

Sasuke watched her dart away with a smug expression. Was that Tsunade person really that scary? Maybe he could convince her to come back to Team Konoha, after all. They'd return and be unstoppable. Of course... that thought was nice until he remembered the dead weight of an arm that was strapped up against his chest. He closed his eyes as if trying to protect them from the onslaught of negativity that his brain slammed him with the moment he was alone in the room.

The ticking of the clock was agony. With every passing minute, every second he was alone was complete and utter torture. Alone was when everything came crashing down over his head and he soaked up all the dark thoughts with little to no fight.

Contempt for himself for being too weak to withstand what had happened to him radiated in his mind. Anger struck through him at the very thought of the useless arm fitted in the sling. But worse of all, a pang of longing sparked through him. Longing for a past he would never be able to return to. Longing to return and finish that final match. It was a bitter and icy feeling. All he wanted to do was bolt away. He wanted to outrun those feelings and never turn back.

A voice exclaimed outside his door and he instantly recognized it. That loud-mouth blond that was holding the secret behind Minako was back and he was yelling. Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't want to deal with that guy yet. He'd come and visited him every day since he had stopped him from probably breaking a couple of bones in his useless hand. He was typically a welcome distraction but at this moment he felt the depression tugging him further and further into the mattress. He didn't know if he had the energy to deal with the hyperactive guy today.

Their voices were muffled, for the most part. Until the seal on the door broke as someone pushed it open.

"Of course it's a good idea—"

Naruto's voice was quickly interrupted by Sakura's sharp and stern tone, "It's a terrible idea! Besides, he's not allowed to leave the hospital yet, he hasn't been discharged!"

The blond hoped into view, his bright blue eyes rolling dramatically. "Y'know me, Sakura. A few broken ribs and a bum arm never stopped me," he threw up his bandaged right arm out for Sakura to see. Her arm swiped at him but he jumped out of her reach. Sakura stumbled into view now, her phone still in one hand. Naruto held out his arm to help keep her at arm's length. His eyes turned toward Sasuke, the signs of a smirk evident on his features. "Yo, Potato, you want to get out of here?"

Sasuke was silent. He wasn't sure if it was because of his depression or the shock from Naruto bursting in here and suggesting that they leave. His eyes flitted over the blond with his silly expression, one hand holding Sakura back and the other extended slightly out toward him. Least to say, he felt himself torn. Part of him wanted to lay there and sink into the depression that was sapping his energy. But he couldn't help but entertain the idea of escaping the hospital...

"Oi, if I know anything about guys like you, it's that stewing in your self-hatred is the last thing you need right now," Naruto's statement hit the nail on the head. Sasuke's good hand twitched, "Also, the best medicine for people like us isn't going to be found in a hospital." Naruto's gaze had shifted to Sakura, but Sasuke knew he was talking to him as well. This guy, confident, cocky, way too comfortable in other people's hospital rooms... this guy was right.

"While I agree that there is treatment that you can't find is a hospital... I can't let you just take Sasuke and leave! He's free to be discharged in a couple days, you can take him anywhere you want after that." Sakura's glare was what he imagined a lioness would like as she stared down another in anger.

Sasuke didn't need any more convincing and he wasn't afraid of the repercussions. He tossed the blankets off and swung his legs off the bed. Thankfully, he had convinced Itachi to bring him his own shirt and sweatpants days ago. He couldn't stand how exposed he felt in the hospital gowns they had him in originally. He flinched as he stood but shrugged off the pain in his chest.

"Sasuke..." he heard Sakura murmur. He steadied himself and turned toward the two of them, suddenly filled with resolve.

He smirked. "How are we getting out of here?" he asked Naruto, stepping forward. His legs were stiff and sore from being confined to the hospital bed. It felt good to stand and walk after so long.

Naruto grinned and motioned toward the window behind him. "Fire escape. I got a geddaway car ready."

"A getaway car?" Sakura squeaked, taking another step forward.

Naruto dodged backward, "Sorry, Sakura," his voice was genuine, but the mischievous glint in his eye told Sasuke he wasn't apologizing for what he was about to do. He turned and dashed for the window. Sasuke felt his legs take long strides after him. Naruto was unclasping the latch when Sasuke stopped behind him and then he threw open the window.

The warm summer morning hit his face, the sun was already beginning to heat up the world outside. In a mere matter of seconds, Naruto jumped out onto the fire escape. Sasuke stepped forward to follow, but he stopped and looked back toward Sakura. She was standing behind him, pinching onto the shirt Itachi had brought him from his apartment.

"I'm going to have to call your brother, you know?" she was staring straight into his eyes, a deep frown was etched into her features, "And he's not going to be happy."

Her words made him pause for a second. That was true but Sasuke felt the warm air slowly tickling his skin. On the air current, the scent of a nearby restaurant floated around them. The mid-morning foot traffic below them was thriving. He couldn't help himself. He wanted out, wanted to run. He needed to be free.

It was true Itachi would be dangerously livid. His brother would probably lock him in his apartment for days, but right now Sasuke didn't care. "Sorry..." he jumped up onto the window sill, the gentle hold on his shirt breaking. He looked back at her. She looked absolutely defeated. Sasuke could hear Naruto shouting somewhere beneath him, but he ignored it. Instead, he stared her dead in the eye, "Thank you, Sakura."

She looked slightly surprised. He didn't wait around for the rest of her reaction. He jumped down the fire escape after the blond man he had literally met a week prior and had only spoken to about thirty minutes a day with.

He jumped to his freedom.

ooooo

Sakura watched him disappear from the window and for a second was frozen to the spot. Her heart was pounding against her rib cage and she could feel the blush creep across her cheeks. Why... did he thank her?

The revving of an engine broke her stun and she rushed forward to the window. She barely caught the glimpse of the orange jeep pull away. But she saw the tops of their heads, blond and black hair, race away. Sakura let out a sigh of disappointment. She knew she'd have to fill out some sort of paperwork because of this. There was always so much paperwork involved when Naruto was concerned.

Also, how did Naruto know Sasuke in the first place?

She turned back to her phone. She had been calling Tsunade when Naruto had strode up to her and announced he was "taking Sasuke out for the day". She had hung up before Tsunade had been able to answer her. Oh jeez, this wasn't going to be an easy conversation. She tapped the little green call icon on her screen and placed her phone against her ear.

Sakura didn't even have time to prepare her apology speech. Her ear was met with a loud, "Sakura! Why weren't you picking up your phone earlier?" before the end of the first dial tone. She pulled the phone away, slightly, flinching at the older woman's frustrated voice.

Keeping the phone about an inch from her ear, Sakura cleared her throat, "My apologies. I was dealing with Naruto," came out her excuse. It wasn't a total lie, but she didn't want to tell Tsunade she had slept through all the call attempts.

"Eh? What'd he do this time?"

"D-don't worry about it. It's nothing I can't handle," Sakura laughed nervously as she crossed toward the room to the door. She left and closed it. After talking to Tsunade, she'd alert Sasuke's attending physician and Itachi that he had escaped his room. Tsunade didn't need to deal with a runaway patient.

There was shuffling and Tsunade let out a heavy sigh. Sensing she'd calmed down, Sakura slowly rested the phone on her ear again. "Sakura, I've some bad news. Homura Mitokado was attacked in his home last night," Tsunade paused. Sakura immediately recognized the name. Homura Mitokado was on the Konoha Council, one of the advisers to the temporary Hokage. Why on earth had he...? "He... unfortunately did not survive, though his wife was also affected and has been stabilized."

Something was off. Why was Tsunade calling her about this personally? It was rare for Tsunade to take time out of her day to say hello. Why had she been so adamant that Sakura knew about this?

"Sakura, the weapon of choice was acid."

Ah, that was it. Sakura's knuckles tightened around her phone. She leaned back against the wall, staring at the opposite one. Tsunade was silent which allowed Sakura to really soak in those words.

This wouldn't be the first time a political figure would have been attacked with acid.

"Ah, Ms. Senju," Sakura finally croaked, "May I have permission to go home and shower?"

Tsunade was so quiet, Sakura thought she had hung up. She let out a hum and Sakura heard the squeak of her office chair as she leaned back. "I suppose so. Get some rest. Keep your pager on in case you're needed. And don't call me Ms. Senju!"

Sakura smiled. "Of course, Tsunade. Thank you."

"I will speak to you later. Stay safe."

"You as well."

Sakura tapped the red end call button and didn't move from her spot against the wall.

An acid attack... About three years ago, back when she had just graduated from medical student to intern, they had had an influx of attacks and the targets had mostly been family members of politicians. The person, or people, behind the attacks was never caught, but they left behind many badly burned and deformed victims. Konoha Hospital had done the best they could for all of them but... there was only so much they could do. She remembered it being one of the most stressful string of months she had lived through.

There was one boy though. He had been attacked and somehow managed to block the majority of acid with his arms. She remembered washing his arms with cool water to relieve any pain. He had to have been in plenty of pain. A good majority of his right arm was deformed and mangled. He kept his teeth gritted and dealt with the pain, despite her having told him it was OK to cry and moan.

That boy, only nineteen at the time, looked her dead in the eye. His words still resonated with her today.

"I won't show weakness. They want us to be afraid and squirm. I'm going back out there and I'm going to bring those bastards down."

That was the first time she had met Naruto. Even though he had just been attacked an hour or two beforehand, he had already been pushing to be discharged. When they told him no, he had escaped in the middle of the night. She remembered how apologetic his parents had been the next day.

Sakura pushed her fingers through her hair as she watched her feet.

"Naruto..." she murmured.

If he knew that acid-attackers were at it again, and had even killed this time, how would he react? Probably recklessly. He'd try to find them and bring them down with vigilante justice. She couldn't let that happen.

She turned her phone toward her again, scrolling through her contacts until she found the right number. She was going to call him anyway since Naruto and Sasuke fled through the window. Her thumb hovered over the green button as she stared at the man's name. It had been a long time since she had called him, asking for help.

Sighing through her nose, she pressed down on the screen and lifted the phone to her ear once more.

"Hey, Itachi. Yeah. I could use your help."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

It was his first day back on the job. He had expected to be approached by the team investigating the bombing for his sharp insight. After all, none of his peers seemed to be able to figure out who set the bombs off and after a week it was looking like they wouldn't be able to find the culprit. He had hoped they'd finally let him take a look at the evidence and he'd find some hidden link that they'd all missed.

He did not expect to be standing over a bed where the former Homura Mitokado had been sleeping only the night before. The mattress was ruined and missing chunks from where the strong acid had splashed off Homura's face. He had seen a picture of the aftermath. The man had died in the ambulance on the way to the emergency room. That was an extremely gruesome and painful way to leave this world. At least it was over for him. He wouldn't have to live with the pain and suffering. Though his wife would have to.

Itachi lowered himself to one knee, scanning the floor for anything.

"Do we know if it was forced entry yet?" Itachi asked as he got even lower to look under the bed. Nothing, not even dust bunnies.

Shisui was standing somewhere behind him, writing something across a clipboard. "No forced entry, no," he answered without pausing in his chicken scratch Itachi knew he'd have to try and decipher later.

"So, someone they trusted to have key perhaps?" Itachi straightened up, sitting back on his heels, "Or they had a guest over?"

"They could have forgotten to lock one of the doors or windows for all we know at this time," Shisui answered. He stopped his writing to look at Itachi. "Whoever it was, they got in and out without force and also covered their entrance and exit pretty well. We can't tell which entryway they came through. I've got finger-print dusters checking every possible entrance."

He pushed himself to his feet and looked back down at the ruined bed, straining his eyes as he considered everything so far. "We haven't spoken to Mrs. Mitokado yet, have we?"

"I'm afraid she's still recovering. I instructed Miss Tsunade to contact us once she's woken up, but in the meantime, we'll have to go without her statement."

Itachi narrowed his eyes as he strained his brain in thought. Every bad guy screwed up one way or another and this one would be no different. He'd find the son of a bitch who did this and make them wish they'd decided on a different life path.

"Their home security cameras? Has anyone checked outside yet?"

Shisui shook his head, "The files are being looked over at HQ. And as far as I'm aware, no one has checked the backyard yet. Though... Inabi may be out there."

Inabi, huh? Itachi stepped toward the door, adjusting his sleeves as he went. "I'm going to go check outside. Hopefully, Inabi hasn't stepped on anything crucial." Inabi was intelligent but he was terrible at perceiving small details. He was surprised to hear Inabi was even here instead of directing traffic and giving out speeding tickets.

He stepped outside into the warm morning air, onto a concrete patio with a perfectly manicured lawn bordering against it. There was a small shed in the corner, sitting under a giant tree, probably filled with lawn and gardening tools. Not far from the shed was a small garden, surrounded by stones to separate the flowerbed from the grass. It was as perfect as a postcard. Just by looking at it, you'd never expect the horror that happened within the home the night before.

Inabi was crossing the yard, heading back to the sliding door with a camera in his hands. As he approached Itachi, he paused just briefly enough to speak, "Doesn't seem like there is much out here. They kept this backyard perfect." Inabi passed him, heading for the door.

"Then you wouldn't mind me double checking," Itachi's voice was clear and loud enough for the man behind him to stop.

"By all means. But I don't think you'll find anything."

Itachi listened to Inabi's footsteps until they faded away. The fool. Probably just glanced around without really searching.

He made his way around the lawn. He checked high and low for anything; a scuff of a shoe mark on the fence, a rock that was overturned, anything that seemed out of place. The shed was locked with no windows to enter it. The attacker probably had completely bypassed it. It wasn't until he reached the tulips that something seemed off. A few of them seemed as if someone had stepped through them, with their stems now tilted dramatically to the side. Whoever was caring for these flowers would have not let them be treated like this, not with how perfect the rest of the backyard was. With a gloved hand, he gently pushed the still tall and steady tulips to the side.

Bingo.

A footprint pushed into the soft topsoil. Maybe the attacker had thought the flowers would cover their tracks, or perhaps he was in too much of a rush to escape that he ignored them altogether. Upon further examination, he realized the indent was smooth. The attacker hadn't worn shoes. If they had anything on their feet it was skin tight. Itachi pulled a dollar from his wallet and laid it as well as he could next to the print.

He took two pictures, one of the dented plants and then he pushed the flowers out of the way to capture the actual print. As he took back the dollar, he looked toward the fence, in the direction the print was heading. The attacker probably scrambled over the fence and into the neighbor's yard. They'd need to obtain a warrant to enter it, but he could at least look and see.

The fence itself, he could see had a bit of dried dirt stuck to it, he presumed from the garden. He peered into the next yard. It was mostly concrete with a pool, so the culprit had dropped down onto stone. His eyes immediately found something glittering on the concrete where he assumed the perpetrator had landed. Pieces of glass, pieces of the container that they had not been able to find. They must have had dropped it and decided it wasn't worth their time to clear it away. He snapped a photo.

Guess he'd have to go warn the neighbors about the glass with acid laying in their backyard.

Vibration in his pocket drew his attention to his phone. Who would be calling him right now? Most likely his superior asking for an update on the case. He withdrew the sleek device from his pocket and looked at the name.

Huh? Sakura?

Great, what did Sasuke do? Was she calling to tell him she'd have had enough with his pesky brother?

No, of course not. Even if that were the case, Sakura wouldn't call him to tell him that. She would wait until the next time they crossed paths to throw Sasuke under the bus.

"Hello," he said after accepting the call and pressing the phone to his ear.

"Hey, Itachi," her voice was quiet.

Oh no, something was wrong. "Sakura, are you alright?"

The voice on the other end perked up a little, "Yeah! I could use your help..." the perkiness was gone like that. Something was definitely wrong.

"What did Sasuke do?" he asked with a sigh as he maneuvered past the flowers and back toward the door. His little brother was probably refusing medication or something.

"Ah, so quick to jump to Sasuke—well this is a bit about him. Mostly about Naruto. You know Naruto."

Oh, he knew Naruto alright. He had recognized the son of Minato Namikaze right away. He hadn't even been too surprised to see him in Sasuke's hospital room the first time he walked in after Naruto supposedly calmed Sasuke down. That boy had a way of getting into situations where he really shouldn't be. "Of course, I've worked with his family enough times."

"Weeeell," he could hear the uncertainty and hesitation on her voice. He stepped inside and saw Shisui heading down the stairs from the bedroom. Itachi raised his camera, tapping it with a finger to indicate he'd found something. Sakura continued, "Naruto convinced Sasuke to jump out of the window and they escaped in Naruto's jeep. I tried to stop them, I really did."

Itachi let the camera bounce against his stomach as he reached up and rubbed his eyes. It wasn't at all surprising, given Naruto's track record. This was why he had never introduced Sasuke to him before. Not that Naruto was bad, he didn't go around breaking any laws, but he wasn't an influence Sasuke had needed.

"Eh, Itachi are you still there?" Sakura asked, her voice a little panicky.

"Yes, I am. I'll find him," he told her as he pulled the camera strap from around his neck and handed it to Shisui in one graceful motion. He headed to the front door, preparing himself to face the neighbors.

"There is one more thing... I'm concerned Naruto will try to find the Acid Attacker."

Itachi paused. He had made it to the bottom of the steps, just outside the slowly shutting front door. He whipped his free arm around and closed it completely. "Why do you say that, Sakura?" How did Sakura know about this? Was she helping Mrs. Mitokado and put two and two together?

He supposed it didn't matter how she knew. He had more pressing matters to attend to... Like what she meant about Naruto wanting to find his perpetrator.

"Well, he was a victim of attacks three years ago. What he was saying back then was... concerning. I remember it, clear as day," her voice had gone quiet again. Maybe she was trying to hold back tears? "He said he'd find them... I can only assume..."

He closed his eyes. So that was it. The boy seemed to have a hot streak like that. The thing was, he only ever went and avenged people who were taken advantage of. Naruto had never, in Itachi's time of dealing with him as a police officer, exacted revenge on someone who had done him wrong. There was obviously more to his story, maybe someone he was trying to protect. If that were true, Itachi needed to find him.

Opening his eyes, he replied, "Thank you, Sakura. Once I'm done here, I'll go try and find them," he already had a few ideas of where Naruto could have dragged Sasuke off to. Maybe he'd ask Kakashi to look for them as well, "Do me a favor and keep this information to yourself. I'll try to talk to Naruto."

"Ah—thank you, Itachi." They exchanged goodbyes and Itachi ended the call. Wonderful. He could only imagine the kind of mischief Naruto was dragging Sasuke into. He furrowed his brow. This was no time to worry about them. He had to go make sure the people in the house next door didn't go stepping on sharp shards of acid-soaked glass.

ooooo

Sasuke hadn't quite known what to expect, but it wasn't this. Colorful lights zipped and flashed all around the room. Multiple noises that sounded like gunfire, punches, lasers, and revving engines came from machines with screens and wooden hoods. This was... a game arcade. He hadn't stepped foot into one since he was very small. Itachi had brought him to one and he could remember them standing at one of the space shooters for hours and using up all their coins on that one machine.

"Since your arm's in a sling right now, I figured we couldn't go and play games on console or PC," Naruto strode up to a black metal box and pulled a credit card from his wallet, "So this is the next best thing." he swept his free arm outward as if presenting the entire room to him. His other hand slipped his card into the machine.

"Twenty dollars in tokens should be enough..." Naruto was murmuring as he leaned forward and squinted at the small screen on the token dispenser.

Sasuke took a step away from the blond. He couldn't help but be captivated by the lively machines all around him. Without realizing, he wandered away, into one of the aisles of arcade machines. There were platformers, shooters, racing games. There were a couple he couldn't play without a second hand, he noted, but most of them would be alright for him to jump into and have no issues. One, in particular, caught his interest. It was a shooter, one that only had plastic, orange pistols as its controllers. He reached for one and twisted it around, feeling the weight and compensating when he realized that most other people probably held it with two hands.

"You want to try that one?" Naruto asked from behind him.

Sasuke didn't turn around, didn't move. "Yeah," he said while he watched the animated screen.

Naruto came up beside him, "Good choice," he nodded. He inserted the number of coins needed and reached for his own gun, "We need to just shoot all the targets. The game will move us the to the next stage once we beat the one we're on." the blond explained, his lips curving into a wicked smile.

The text on the bottom of the screen started to flash "PULL TRIGGER TO PLAY". Sasuke obliged and heard Naruto do the same. Once they were locked in the screen flickered and went dark, leaving Sasuke staring at his and Naruto's reflections. Naruto didn't flinch. The screen going black must be normal. Before he could ask, the screen turned a deep red color and a character in armor like a knight's came running toward from, his own musket in his hands. Naruto pulled his trigger and the character fell with a funny scream.

"Each stage is a different time period, starting from when they first invented guns," Naruto explained.

Another enemy popped up. Sasuke's wrist flicked and he downed the virtual person with ease. This would be easy. He'd win against the computer and beat Naruto in score.

They dominated. The little men running around in armor eventually evolved into musket-men, to cowboys, then to mafia members with tommy-guns and cigars in their mouths. With every change, the AI got better and better. The characters would dodge to the side more. Or they'd crouch and jump to try and dodge their invisible bullets. But he and Naruto had no real issues taking out each character, no matter how fast and how many.

The only thing that bothered him was that Naruto was only ever twenty points behind him at any given time. As Sasuke examined it, each kill was ten points. All Naruto had to do was take out three targets in rapid succession and he'd take the lead between the two of them. That was something that Sasuke wasn't about to let happen.

The scenes shifted. Soldiers in a generic camouflage uniform started flooding toward them. This level was far harder than the previous ones. Sasuke swung his arm back and forth, clicking furiously as the characters raced over the screen. There were too many, running at them faster than any of the previous levels. Blood was pounding in his ears, but he could hear Naruto cursing to his right. They could do it. Some computer was not going to overpower them.

One soldier got past their manic gunfire. Sasuke saw it stop in the corner of his eye and his hand twitched toward the character with ease. He took the pixeled man down, but a grenade was already flying up and across the screen.

A burst of color flashed in a bright heat that made Sasuke's muscles lock up. He could almost feel the sudden burst of fiery hotness lick over his skin. He was suddenly aware of the stitches on his shoulders, where the shrapnel had sunk into his arm and caused enough damage for him to lose feeling and use in it. A panic rose from his stomach and into his throat. He couldn't move. No matter what his mind was screaming at him to do, his entire body was stilled in terror.

Without him shooting, multiple other soldiers got past their lines. Sasuke immediately regretted freezing up. The sounds of the grenades exploding sent his heart racing, which only caused his sore ribs to scream in protest. His vision had become unfocused and he felt the need to run… but he was frozen to the spot he stood in. He was vaguely aware of Naruto standing next to him, saying something. What he was talking about? Sasuke didn't hear him. All he could hear was the sound of his terrified heartbeat.

Something touched his shoulder. Sasuke involuntarily yelped and swung his good arm around, still holding the heavy plastic toy gun in his vice-like grip.

The impact was hard, hard enough to knock Naruto to the retro-styled carpet. Wait… Naruto was on the ground. Sasuke felt his shoulders rising and falling rapidly with his worn breath as he blinked to try and clear his vision. Had he… had he hit Naruto? He slowly released the gun and it clattered against the machine it was attached to. His fingers creaked as he flexed them out. He must have been holding on so tightly that it was straining his knuckles.

"Ayh, ayh," Sasuke looked down to see Naruto sitting up, clutching his black shirt up to his nose, "Mawbe we shoulb stic to hair hogkeh," the blond croaked with pinched nostrils.

ooooo

"Sorry," Sasuke told him as he held out a bottle of water for him to take.

After stopping his nose from leaking any more blood, they left the arcade to sit on the warm curb and watch the traffic go by. Naruto had instantly forgiven Sasuke, however, Sasuke seemed to be having a hard time letting it go.

He took the water bottle with a toothy-grin, "Thanks," he cracked open the bottle and took a giant swig of the wonderfully cool liquid. Naruto finished drinking with a satisfied sigh and turned to his new friend, "There's no need to be sorry, though. I brought you out here so you could get better. Now we know it's too soon for anything like that."

Sasuke was quiet, which was something that Naruto had come to expect. From their short experiences, Naruto had become used to filling the silences. He was lucky if Sasuke contributed in some way. Most of the time Sasuke would stare at him, listening. Sometimes he'd give a one-word reply. Rarely did he ask questions of Naruto. It was what Naruto could do to help Sasuke and keep his mind off Hinata.

Hinata…

With the quiet between the two of them, he thought to the last time he had seen his girlfriend. He embraced her as if she was his lifeline which, to an extent, she was. After their goodbyes, she ushered Hanabi out of the hospital to go back to their place to get some of her belongings before she would take her sister home to the Hyuga mansion. There, Hinata would stay until Neji was back on his feet. Neji had already been discharged from the hospital, not long after Hinata had agreed to take care of Hanabi. Of course, Neji didn't just have a concussion as Hiashi had told them. He had suffered a broken leg, some cracked ribs, and would have some wicked scaring from where some shrapnel had scraped against his skin. The bastard was lucky. He could've ended up like Sasuke.

Naruto glanced at Sasuke, he was staring up at the blue sky. He wondered where Sasuke had been during the blast. Had he been in the first one? Probably, since he seemed to like Shinobi Showdown and some professional teams were playing. He must have been watching them. Neji had been on one of those teams if Naruto's memory served correct.

As much as Naruto enjoyed gaming and Shinobi Showdown, he really knew absolutely nothing about the e-sports scene. He never really cared about the professional side of it.

He swirled the water around in the bottle and watched it splash about, leaving small droplets clinging to the side. "It's OK to not be alright, y'know?" he hadn't realized what he said for a moment. Another silence passed over them as Sasuke seemed to ignore him. The droplets on the side of the bottle trembled but stubbornly stayed in place. "Don't worry, I don't really listen to me, either."

As one of the droplets finally gave into gravity and joined the rest of the water, Sasuke looked around at him. "I'm fine."

"And I'm the next Hokage," Naruto snorted with sarcasm. A semi-truck rumbled past them, vibrating the pavement as it went. Naruto nuzzled his face against the bottle. It was a welcome, cool feeling that combated the summer heat, "Look, I know you can tell that I have my own issues. You're smarter than you look.

"Truth is, I don't think I'll ever be able to say I'm fine and actually mean it," his right hand hooked onto the back of his neck. He saw Sasuke's eyes narrow and he shot back a smile, "I've come to realize that we're all fucked up and that it's OK. You've just got to find the right people who'll accept that about you." Another droplet of water merged with the larger amount sitting at the bottom of the bottle. He lifted the bottle to his eyeline, "You only have two options… be embraced by those around you and accept what's happened or," he tapped against the remaining droplet, willing for it to drop and be reunited with the rest of the liquid, "evaporate."

Sasuke looked away. Naruto wasn't sure if he got his point across, but he let both hands fall between his knees as he stared out to the blue horizon.

He wasn't going to let Sasuke evaporate if he could help it.

A silver sedan slowed to a smooth stop a few paces from where they were sitting. They both snapped their gazes around to the sharp thud of the door closing. A silver-haired man wearing a medical mask pressed a button on his keys, making the car beep and flash its lights as the alarm was armed. Naruto lifted himself from the heated concrete, almost tripping himself as he stood. "Kakashi! What are you doing here?"

"Ah, Naruto. I was just out driving. I saw you two and decided to say hi," Kakashi's voice was relaxed as he stepped onto the sidewalk. He shrugged his shoulders before his eyes burrowed down onto Sasuke, "I wasn't aware you were discharged from the hospital, Sasuke. Why don't we go grab some food to celebrate?"

Naruto looked between Kakashi and Sasuke, taking a moment to drink in what he just heard. Kakashi and Sasuke…? They knew each other? "How…?" was all Naruto managed to get out before Sasuke stood and glanced back at him.

"Somehow we have a lot of mutual friends without ever having met before, Naruto," Sasuke began and then stared Kakashi down once more, "Kakashi is my coach."

Coach? Naruto raked his memories for anything that connected Kakashi to a sport. His hand was back on the back of his neck, scratching it in uncertainty. The only thing he could think of was Kakashi's interest in e-sports. Whenever he was over at his parents' and Kakashi happened to be there, he and his father would speak almost nonstop over their experiences with video games.

Wait. Sasuke's coach. Sasuke had been in the convention bombing, right in the fray of it from what Naruto understood. The convention bombing had exploded during a professional game of Shinobi Showdown. Naruto's eyes focused in on the back of Sasuke's head.

"Are you actually some e-sports star?" Naruto glared, crossing his arms and waiting for a response from his friend.

"So how about lunch?" Kakashi gripped onto Sasuke's shoulder and began leading him away.

"Wait a second! I wasn't done with him!" Naruto rushed after the two of them.

He followed the two of them down the street, huffing unhappily as they walked nearly shoulder to shoulder with Kakashi occasionally glancing at his phone. Naruto had known Kakashi since before he could even remember. The man was always just there in his memories. He was almost like a second father to him… yet he hadn't known that Kakashi was an e-sport coach? It must have been a more recent event. He must have established this new job when Naruto was busy.

The three of them eventually sat down at a booth in a ramen shop. At least Kakashi remembered Naruto's favorite food, even though Sasuke was clearly his new favorite. Once they'd ordered—Kakashi notedly choosing to skip food as he wanted to avoid removing his mask—Naruto rounded on them.

"I think you've got some explaining to do," Naruto narrowed his eyes toward Kakashi.

Kakashi's eyes twinkled with a smile, "Why, Naruto, I have no idea what you mean."

"Y'know exactly what I'm talking about!" Naruto replied in a harsh, muted voice. He was having a hard time not raising his voice and causing a scene, "How long have you known Sasuke?!"

Kakashi's finger absentmindedly traced the rim of the complimentary glass of water that he wouldn't drink. His chin rested in the palm of his other hand as he stared across the table at Naruto. "About three or four years ago, I suppose? Team Konoha and Shinobi Showdown were both in their infancies at the time. Sasuke was just a streamer but caught the eye of the team's owner. He was recruited, as well as Sakura Haruno. Though she decided to focus on her medical career instead."

"Sakura is involved in this, too?" Naruto pressed his forehead against his knuckles.

"There wasn't a need to introduce you before," Kakashi explained, now moving his hand to fiddle with the chopsticks that lay at the ready for him to not use, "You and your family were facing a challenging few years, after all."

"Seems like we always are," Naruto murmured and if Kakashi heard him, he ignored him.

The young waitress stepped up to their table with one bowl of ramen in each hand. A strong aroma of succulent pork hit his nose and the annoyance he had with Kakashi immediately melted from his shoulders. His mouth watered as the girl set the bowl down in front of him. Yes, this was about to be the best ramen he had ever eaten! He clapped his hands together, about to dig in, when he saw the faces of his two companions across him.

They were both staring over Naruto's shoulder, their expression opposites of each other. Kakashi looked pleasant as if he were greeting an old friend. Sasuke's face stiffened in horror.

What were they looking at?

He didn't have to turn around. Footsteps clacked to a stop in his peripheral vision. Slowly, he rotated his neck. Standing at the end of the table was a tall, foreboding figure, glaring down at them with onyx eyes. Sasuke's brother. Naruto was used to seeing him dressed down in the hospital room, but as he stood in front of them with the utility belt and police badge clipped onto it, Naruto recognized him. Detective Itachi Uchiha—someone who had worked closely with his family in the past and was supposedly still working on their current case.

"Good afternoon, Itachi. I see you got my texts," Kakashi greeted. The bastard ratted them out!

Itachi's lips flatlined and he rubbed the bridge of his nose with a sigh. "Naruto… Sasuke," he groaned. He looked back up at Naruto and made a motion with his hand for him to move over, "We need to speak."

The two older men blocked Sasuke and Naruto into the booth now, with Itachi settled in next to Naruto. Naruto poked at his noodles, begrudgingly. He hated feeling trapped. Every muscle in his body wanted to claw past Itachi and dart away. Unfortunately for him, Naruto was an adult. He couldn't just run away whenever he felt cornered… especially when a police officer was sitting next to him in a restaurant.

Itachi's face was hiding in his hands. He took a moment in which Naruto assumed he was trying to gather his thoughts, then let his hands drop to the table.

"I've decided not to arrest you for kidnapping, Naruto," Itachi started and Naruto nearly choked on the piece of pork he had been trying to chew. "Only because Sasuke seemed to be a willing participant, we will let this incident go unrecorded. The only condition is Sasuke be returned to the hospital and stay there until he's formally discharged."

Naruto gripped his chopsticks. He wanted to say something but was at a loss for words. Thank you, perhaps? Thanks for not taking him to jail?

Before he could say anything, Itachi continued, "However, there is a more pressing issue. All three of you are sworn to secrecy on the matter I am about to speak of." Itachi's words were harsh and grave, making a chill rush over Naruto. His words spiked down his spine and resonated through his limbs and into his fingers and toes.

Itachi rested his chin on his interlaced knuckles. "I shouldn't be telling you any of this, however, the media will pick it up before too long," his eyes honed onto Naruto, "Homura Mitokado is dead. Killed in his home by who we can only assume is the Acid Attacker or a possible copy-cat."

Searing pain burst across his right forearm and prickled across his left. He gritted his teeth. His stomach churned over itself. For sure, his face was reflecting the pain that his heart was now overflowing with. He looked down into his lap, trying to hide his face. He felt Itachi's eyes leave him.

Homura Mitokado. He'd work closely his father as well. Part of him couldn't believe what he had just heard. The Acid Attacker had resurfaced and had murdered a political figure, one who Naruto knew personally. The bastard had been assumed dead or in hiding, hadn't been active in three years… now they were back and targeting to kill. His face grew hot. If Itachi was still speaking, he couldn't hear him over the rage boiling in his ears. Every little portion of his body trembled with the pure fury that seeped throughout his body.

He vaulted upward, barely aware of the table he almost knocked over in his haste to stand. An arm grabbed him around the chest and pushed him back against the cushioned bench. He needed to move, needed to get away of whoever was holding him back. His eyes snapped and he let his fist fly toward the owner of the arm.

It impacted the soft flesh of Kakashi's palm. "Oi, Naruto, you're too old to have a temper," the silver-haired man said in a monotonous voice.

It took a moment. The anger in his heart sizzled away. Naruto blinked back the fury. Kakashi was leaning across the table. He'd stopped Naruto's fist from making abrupt contact with Itachi's chin. As his hearing came back to him, he noticed the haggard breathing coming from his lungs.

He'd… almost assaulted Itachi.

Naruto melted back into his seat. Next to him he heard Itachi mutter, "I see now."

He looked at Sasuke who was staring at him.

"Yeah. I'm fucked up too." Naruto told him in a voice barely above a whisper. He wasn't even sure if Sasuke had heard him.

xxxxx

A/N: My first reviews! Hi! Thank you so much for the kind words! It really means a lot to me that you guys are enjoying it! You guys give me inspiration to keep going. :) And I hope you liked this chapter!

I also changed the summary a bit to better reflect what is happening. Just a little bit!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Naruto drummed his fingers. The room was bathed in a yellow light and the mid-afternoon sun was helping fill it with a comforting warmth. Itachi sat across from him, in one of the many blue chairs that lined the long conference table.

Itachi had asked for him to come down to the police station, for questioning about what he knew about the Acid Attacker. He had Kakashi take Sasuke back to the hospital where he'd certainly not be able to break him out again. It was moments like these that Naruto was happy he was an only child. Older brothers could be a real stick in the mud.

Shuffling of papers stopped. Naruto stilled his fingers.

"About three years ago," Itachi started, laying a police report out on the table in front of him, "you were one of the victims of the Acid Attacker. I have a source who told me the exact words you said while in the hospital." Itachi pulled a sticky note off the report and read what it said aloud, "'I won't show weakness. They want us to be afraid and squirm. I'm going back out there and I'm going to bring those bastards down.'"

Itachi pressed the sticky note back onto the report and looked straight at him.

Naruto felt his shoulders tense up and he turned away, toward the window. "I don't see how that's a bad thing? I was mad. I was ready to kick some ass."

"No need to be defensive, Naruto. This isn't an interrogation." Itachi leaned back in his chair and weaved his fingers together, "This is pertinent because I know you personally. In all my years dealing with your punk attitude, you never got in trouble for attacking someone for your own sake. If you had been the true target, you would've taken it and done the best with the hand you'd been dealt. For you to make threats like that means you were protecting someone. You were not the original target of the attack.

"So tell me, who was?"

Was… he really that predictable?

Naruto frowned at Itachi, "You're one smart bastard, y'know?"

"I've been told." He said it so modestly. Damn this guy, not a single proud bone in his body.

Naruto rubbed his chin as he watched Itachi's hawk-like gaze following him with an intensity that he, every once in a while, saw in Sasuke. He gave him a cocked smile, "Hinata Hyuga."

He watched Itachi's eyebrow raise with curiosity. Itachi pulled a pen from the front of his blue shirt and scribbled something on the report. "Miss Hyuga is now your girlfriend, correct?"

"Yeah…. Something like that," he wasn't about to tell Itachi that he was having silly doubts after she had gone to take care of her family, "Asked her out after I took the splash for her. She couldn't say no."

"Does she know she was the intended target?"

Naruto drummed his fingernails once more. "I'm not too sure of that myself," he replied. And it was the truth. He wasn't sure if Hinata realized or not, "She was walking away from the guy who wanted to splash her. I stepped in between them at the right time, made sure my arms caught most of the blow." He raised his bandaged arm up slightly, "If she knows, she hadn't said anything about it. I haven't told her."

"So it wasn't all a hoax to get your father sympathy votes in the polls," Itachi joked with a completely straight expression. Ah, the rare Uchiha humor Naruto had heard about.

He rolled his eyes, "Conspiracy theories. Bah. I stopped a very beautiful face from being tarnished that day. That was all."

Itachi raised the pen up, wagging it back and forth in his fingers as he processed this new information. "So, my question is how did you know Hinata would be a target? It seems too unlikely for you to just have been in the right place and the right time, with reflexes fast enough to jump and take the blow."

Naruto leaned back in his chair, "You of all people will remember the gang I rolled with back in high school. Misunderstood kids. Ones who didn't have the best home life. Well, I kept in contact with a few. They said there were whispers about another attack and on a girl named Hinata Hyuga.

"I knew Hinata. Both our families were high profile, in the spot light. Her clan supported my father's run for Hokage. I guess someone felt the need to attack an innocent girl, to make a statement." He exhaled and pressed his eyes closed before reopening them, "We had a lot of classes together. I followed her around everywhere she went. I didn't know if the whispers were true or not, but I wanted to keep her safe. Finally, after about a week of trying not to look like a stalker… she was walking to class and I was not too far behind. I saw the guy pull out a jar and the rest in history."

Naruto stared down at his bandages and flexed his fingers. "I didn't see his face. He got away since he did it with only a few people around. They said he ran off into the forest. I didn't hear anything more about someone hurting Hinata again."

There was a silence between the two of them. Naruto wasn't aware of what Itachi was doing, he just kept his eyes on his arm. That was the truth. He had distanced himself from that group and gone off to college. Hinata was a beautiful girl with a shy disposition that she was still working on getting over. He had grown fond of her over the course of their classes. There was no way he'd let her get hurt.

"Naruto."

He looked up. Itachi had his finger tips pressed together, his expression stern but thoughtful, "First, that was very brave of you to sacrifice yourself for Miss Hyuga. Though, I do wonder why you didn't come to us. This could have all been prevented."

"If you had believed me, Hinata wouldn't have been able to keep going to school and live a normal life. You'd have kept her under lock and key to keep her safe, right?"

"Strict supervision, more likely."

"Her father would've made her stay home instead." Naruto snorted and let his cheek fall against his closed fist.

Itachi raised his hand, signaling for Naruto to be quiet, though Naruto hadn't had anything else to say. "Naruto, I believe these attacks are not just merely against any random politician and their family. From all the evidence I have gathered, I am theorizing that everything up until this point has been to try and sabotage Namikaze. Almost every attack three years ago was against political figures that supported your father's campaign. When they didn't work, they waited for the right time to take out Minato, but they failed. Instead of assassinating him, he fell into a coma."

If it were possible for his insides to turn into stone, it had to have been happening to him at that very second.

"I feel like… I was getting close. But then the convention bombs went off. My own father put me on leave instead of letting me continue on my investigation." Itachi's eyes hardened. He was no longer watching him, instead, he glared at the paperwork in front of him, "If it weren't for that, who knows? I might have caught the Acid Attacker before Homura Mitokado was murdered."

"Well, if ruining my father's life was the goal, it sure seems like these people won."

Itachi shook his head, "Namikaze has a lot of support still. Homura Mitokado was one of his most vocal council members and pulled a lot of weight in the city. Once word gets out that he is gone there will be unrest within the civilians. If the Acid Attacker keeps going after Namikaze's most loyal, people will stop supporting him in fear.

"I need your help, Naruto. To keep the country safe, to keep your father safe. Any names that you know would be helpful."

Naruto leaned across the table, laying his arm across the wood to support himself. He stared Itachi dead in the eye, "I tell you this, you've got to promise he's protected. He's got nothing to do with any of this terrorism."

"As long as he's not involved nothing will happen to him," Itachi replied, meeting Naruto's gaze with his own determined glare, "I promise that."

Naruto straightened his back, not breaking eye contact with the man in front of him. If this would really help them catch the Acid Attacker, then he could at least give Itachi one name. He felt the muscle under his eye twitch as he spoke, "Kiba Inuzuka."

ooooo

The gear shift clicked as he parked his jeep. It had been about a week since he chatted with Itachi in that conference room. Sasuke had been released from the hospital and he tried to visit him as much as he could… But Naruto couldn't always make it across the city when he was still obligated to take his mother back and forth to see his old man.

With the passage of time came with a new chill in the air; one he'd become familiar with over the twenty years of living in Konoha but also another, far more sinister sensation. The still green leaves shuffled around in the trees as he sat and observed the street he was parked on. It wasn't as well taken care of as downtown was. It was a side street where you'd only go if you had a drug problem and needed a fix. Naruto was proud to say that he didn't find himself in the middle of the shady street for drugs… though was probably just as dangerous.

He cut the power to his engine and pocketed his keys. As he stepped from his car, he pulled up the hood of his black sweatshirt.

This was no different than meeting with a friend. He glared at the alley across the road from him. You'd typically be happy to meet up with a friend, though. As he walked, he couldn't fight back the dread that filled his stomach.

Naruto arrived outside a metal door and knocked. He couldn't turn back, not when he knew the man inside could help him. Squinting one eye against the setting sun, he waited.

The rusty door creaked a little. It opened just enough for someone to peer through the crack before they realized who was waiting for them and they closed it again. Metal against metal scrapped as someone removed a door chain and, finally, threw the door wide open.

"Naruto!" An excited man with tattoos in the shape of fangs across his cheeks held out his arms. He ushered for him to come in, "Never thought you'd call. Almost thought you'd forgotten about me."

So Itachi hadn't sought Kiba out yet. He doubted that Kiba would be so enthusiastic to see him if Itachi had.

Naruto stepped over the threshold and into the trashy studio apartment. The first thing Naruto noticed aside the junk and clutter was a woman lying on the bed that was pushed carelessly against the opposite wall. She was fast asleep with long hair spread across the pillow. How could Kiba let her live like this? Maybe it was a good thing his mother had kicked his ass into gear and got him on a path away from bad influences.

"Unfortunately, Kiba, I'm not here for a personal visit." Naruto pulled down his hood.

"I figured as much. I've been hearing things. The Acid Attacker is back." Kiba secured his door once more and reached into the pocket on the front of his jacket, "You smoke yet?"

Naruto just shook his head, "You remember how my mother is like. Besides—" he looked back at the girl— "I have someone now. I can't disappoint her."

Kiba simply shrugged his shoulders as he lit up a cigarette. He leaned against the wall, eying Naruto up and down. "Gotcher self a girl? She cute?"

"More beautiful than any other woman," Naruto said with a nod of confidence. He watched as Kiba shrugged and took a long drag of his cigarette, "You'll remember her name. Hinata. You tipped me off to an attack on her."

"Right, right. You were pretty stubborn about keeping her safe," he replied on the exhale, making sure to point the smoke away from Naruto.

"I could use your help again."

Kiba glanced up at him, "I don't know what I could do, man. You're not the only one who's trying to get away from that life." His friend's black eyes flickered toward the bed, "She's making me want to change for the better."

Naruto felt his head duck involuntarily. So maybe his old friend wasn't far from the light, after all. But he still needed help… "I understand that, probably more than anyone else. But lives are at risk here. One man is already dead and it's a matter of time before he kills again."

He took another deep inhale of the cigarette, held his breath for a moment, and then let the smoke go. Kiba frowned, his forehead creasing and the skin around his eyes crinkling, "Alright, alright." He motioned Naruto to follow him toward the only other door in the worn-out apartment, not far from where he'd entered. The chipped down opened with a moan and they were met with the sight of a stained toilet.

Kiba flipped the toilet seat down and stepped up onto it, catching himself as it wobbled under his weight. "Alright, I have this—" he elbowed a ceiling tile, making it pop open— "burner phone. Hid it a while back when Tamaki asked me to get rid of it." He pulled an old, flip-phone from its hiding spot. He turned to Naruto, still standing on the toilet, "There's old messages and contacts on it. I suggest not calling any of them unless you really need to. I don't know how much'll help, but it's all I got now." Kiba tossed the phone toward him and Naruto caught it out of the air.

He jammed his thumb against the crease and flipped it open. The phone was dead which was to be expected with having been up in the ceiling for who knows how long, but it was a start.

"Unfortunately, Tamaki tossed out the charger for it and it needs an old, funky one." Kiba hopped down from his porcelain throne and placed a hand on his hip, "You'll need to find one and I'm not sure how easy it'll be."

"Still good to have," Naruto said as he slipped it into the hidden pocket in his jacket. He paused and looked his old friend up and down, "You need to know that I gave your name to Itachi Uchiha. He may swing by, asking for info. Answer him truthfully and make sure to keep your nose clean."

"You ratted me out to a cop?" Kiba's lip raised, he looked annoyed, "That's uncool."

"Not ratted. I just told him that you had information that could help him. He's on the case for the police."

Kiba simply rolled his eyes, "Whatever, Naruto."

Naruto turned to leave and grabbed ahold of the chain. He had just slid it unlocked when Kiba's voice piped up once more, "Naruto." He looked over his shoulder. Kiba was lounging against the doorframe of his bathroom, putting the cigarette out against a tray that must have been sitting on the small bathroom counter. He stared Naruto down, "Give them hell, Naruto."

He smirked back at Kiba with a nod, "Yeah."

Naruto put his hood back up and stepped out into the alley way.

ooooo

"Hey good morning 3 How's the fam?" Sent at 7:54 AM.

"Good morning love-bug. They're doing fine. Hanabi has been wonderful. Neji has been out of the hospital for two weeks now? His leg isn't doing much better and he's been acting a bit like a toddler if you ask me" Received at 8:32 AM.

"Some reason that doesnt really surprise me :P how bout ur father?" Sent at 8:45 AM.

"My father has been absent for most days" Received at 9:15 AM.

"Figures. I miss u" Sent at 9:21 AM.

"I miss you too love-bug" Received at 9:42 AM.

"What are you up to today? :)" Received at 3:03 PM.

Naruto didn't know what to tell her. He sat in his jeep, in the parking garage of Sasuke's apartment building. He couldn't tell her the truth. He couldn't tell her he was diving back into the past that he alluded to but didn't really talk about. She didn't need to know that he was searching high and low for an old charger to power the burner phone he had acquired from Kiba.

He didn't have to tell her everything, though.

"Took care of mom and I'm heading up to Sasuke's apartment to check on him." He tapped out the reply and sent it. It wasn't a lie. He had dropped his mother off at the hospital and made sure she was alright before he had left to run his errands. Now he was going up to his friend's apartment, unannounced as was a tradition at this point. She didn't need to know everything.

He slipped out of his jeep and headed for the elevator. Sasuke's apartment was on the twelfth floor, room twelve. How convenient was that? It was great for him, easy to remember so he didn't have to keep texting Sasuke for his floor and room number. Being on the twelfth floor also gave him time to open another tech website in search of the correct charging cable for the phone. It'd be a miracle if he could even find a used and beaten up cable. Maybe this was the lucky website.

It turned out it was. The part was used but boasted that it was good condition. He pressed on the order button just as he reached door twelve. Perfect. He'd have it shipped to his and Hinata's apartment with the fastest shipping available. Two days. He'd go grab it in two days.

Nodding to himself with a satisfied smile down at his phone, he turned and knocked on the door. "Hey, Sasuke! Open up, it's your best friend!"

Silence met him. Naruto raised his fist once more and knocked again, louder this time, "Sasuke! I know you're in there, let me in!"

There was a shattering of glass against the other side of the door. The impact was loud and startling, making Naruto step back in surprise. He shook it off and grabbed ahold of the doorknob. He had expected it to be locked, so as he pushed against the door he tumbled forward. Naruto caught himself on the shoe rack, just before he fell into the pile of a shattered wine bottle on the white carpet. "That… would've been bad."

He pushed himself up and stepped carefully over the glass before sweeping his eyes over the room. It was nothing like Kiba's studio apartment. This was large, with two bedrooms off somewhere behind the walls. It was decorated with very traditional art pieces and the Uchiha clan's signature crest everywhere. The furniture was all made of leather. And Sasuke… he was slumped in the nearest couch, sitting in the dark. Another bottle of alcohol was already in his useable hand.

"Oi, Sasuke, you shouldn't be drinking so much." Naruto kicked the door close and stepped further into the apartment.

"I can… do whatever… I want…" Even completely sloshed, Sasuke's speech was nearly flawless. Maybe it was because he had to think a little harder to get the words out, but he pronounced each word almost too perfectly. The "T"s were too harsh and the "C"s were so clearly spoken it was unnerving.

Naruto strode forward and crossed his arms, staring Sasuke down.

"What are you… looking… at."

He sighed and then flopped down in the seat next to Sasuke. He let his eyes slip shut and listened to the sound of Sasuke chugging more wine. He needed to get that bottle away from him, but how?

"I got a lead," he started, opening his eyes again.

Sasuke didn't answer. Typical. Naruto looked around at his friend who was just sitting there, staring off at the blank wall in front of him. He could probably snatch that bottle away from him now, but he didn't need Sasuke blowing up on him. It the short amount of time they knew each other, it was obvious Sasuke had a terrible temper. He didn't need to alight that anger.

"An old friend of mine, his name is Kiba. Gave me an old burner phone that has contact details of his old sources."

Sasuke lifted the bottle to his lips again but before he tipped his head back, he stopped and just held it there. He squinted his eyes and then turned to look directly at Naruto. His expression was strained as he tried to form the words in his head before speaking in his too perfect syllables, "You… think… you're like me… You're not."

Naruto snorted, "You're right, cause I'm not a stinking drunk."

"No… you're nothing… like me."

Sasuke stumbled to his feet and dangerously swayed in the spot he stood. Naruto instantly jumped up, just in case he needed to catch his friend. Sasuke waved him away, or at least tried to, as he tripped his way to the bar that separated the kitchen and living room. He held onto it as he dropped the mostly empty bottle onto the dark surface. It hit with a loud clink! before it rolled off the bar, staining the white carpet a deep crimson.

Naruto dived forward and picked up the bottle before too much could ruin any more of the carpet. He looked around, ready to reprimand his friend. But Sasuke was no longer standing at the bar. Instead, he was swaying his way to one of the two bedrooms. Naruto frowned, placed the bottle properly on the surface, and followed.

The second bedroom was being used as a streaming station. The computer was sitting on a white, L-shaped desk and was blinking blue with life. Miscellaneous decorations including plants and gifts from brand deals were placed strategically around the walls, especially in view of the webcam he had above one of the monitors. Sasuke stood behind the gaming chair, his hand clamped onto it like a vice. Naruto couldn't see his eyes, but he could feel the menacing aura radiating from his friend.

"This junk…" Sasuke's fingers were turning a sickly white against the black leather of the chair. "Useless… garbage."

"Doesn't look useless to me," Naruto said as he stepped into the room, gingerly walking around Sasuke until he could get a better look at the PC, "Looks like it's waiting for you to get better so you can use it again."

Naruto had seen Sasuke mad before, but it was different this time. The way Sasuke's neck craned toward him, with the look of pure rage in his eyes, reminded Naruto almost of a serial killer in a horror movie. The worse part? All that frightening fury was being directed straight at him. Sasuke's fingers pried themselves from the seat.

"Ah, Sasuke, no need to act rashly. I know things aren't going well but—"

A pale hand shot down toward the desk. Sasuke ripped the mouse from where it sat with an unhappy ripping noise where it was plugged into the PC. It happened in almost a blur. Sasuke threw the mouse straight at Naruto's face.

Naruto dodged to the side and landed in a crouch. The mouse collided with the wall behind him with a sickening crack. His heart raced. Sasuke had just thrown his mouse. He had just thrown it at his head. Naruto blinked, trying to reset his thoughts. Alright, Sasuke was outraged and his target was Naruto.

He looked around to see Sasuke trying to control his breath, still standing next to his chair. Sasuke leaned his forehead against the headrest.

Slowly, Naruto stood up but kept his stance ready to move if he needed to. "Sasuke, I think you need to drink some water."

The chair clattered against the floor as Sasuke shoved it over. His hand shot out for the keyboard, but Naruto saw him move just in time. Naruto darted forward and grabbed ahold on his wrist. He stilled his friend's arm and he saw Sasuke's jaw tighten in the corner of his eye. "Don't ruin what's waiting for you."

Sasuke's shoulder collided with his chest. Naruto flinched, releasing his hold on his wrist. With its new freedom, his hand balled into a fist. This time, Naruto didn't dodge in time. The cartilage in his nose collapsed under Sasuke's knuckles. A gush of blood began pouring out from his nostrils.

Naruto stumbled back, clutching his nose.

"Nothing… like me."

Sasuke dove forward, unbalanced by his drunken state. Thinking quickly, Naruto dropped his hand and ducked. As Sasuke swung his fist, Naruto leaped forward and tackled his friend around the waist. They tumbled onto the ground, Sasuke landing hard onto his back. Naruto was sure that would hurt in the morning, with his ribs still healing and all.

Through the struggle, Naruto managed to press his knee into Sasuke's sternum. Sasuke swung once more, but Naruto captured his arm.

"Oi, I think it's time you sobered up." Naruto gripped hard onto Sasuke's wrist, seeing the drunk version of him flinch with pain. Naruto narrowed his eyes, "We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

Sasuke's lips pulled back in a snarl. Behind him, he felt his legs swing upward and Sasuke's knee collided with his back. Naruto just let him hit him, but he had his answer now.

"Alright. Remember you asked for it."

Naruto didn't hesitate as he pulled back his own fist and decked Sasuke across the face.

A stillness took hold of them both. Sasuke stopped struggled, Naruto stopped breathing. He watched his friend's face and eyes that were glossed over from the abrupt impact. After a heartbeat, Sasuke let out of groan. A sign that he'd be alright. Naruto breathed and, as he did, realized blood was still dripping over his nose. He clambered off Sasuke and hoisted his limp body up.

"You're really dumb," Naruto said as he dragged Sasuke out of the stream room and to the door across the way. Once in the new room, he dropped his friend on the bed, "Guess I have no choice but to make sure you don't go killing yourself tonight. I'll get some ice for that black eye that'll be forming… and try not to stain your carpet any more than it is."

Naruto held a dish rag to his nose as he filled a bag with ice. Damned Sasuke. He knew he had a temper, but to be a violent drunk on top of it… He pitied the poor fool who tried to take on Sasuke without being prepared.

He stopped and lay the ice bag aside. From his pocket, he retrieved his phone. Across the lock screen, which featured a picture of Hinata smiling, a new text notification had appeared. He tapped it, opening it with the simple movements.

"Oh good. How is he doing?"

Naruto had told her so much about the boy he'd found, after all, he told her everything. Well, almost everything.

He'd told her about the short visits in his hospital room. About escaping that hospital room and experiencing first hand the effects of his PTSD. He'd told her about the stupid things he tried to make that jerk smile, all with no avail.

Sasuke was difficult and dumb. He was a hard one to crack. Maybe he was someone that Naruto should not have even bothered trying to help at all. He didn't seem to even want help, with how much Sasuke fought him. Could it be that Naruto was just wasting his time trying to save Sasuke from himself? From becoming a statistic?

Naruto pulled the blood-soaked cloth from his nose and stared off toward the shadowed door he had left Sasuke behind.

There was no way… absolutely no way he was going to leave Sasuke behind. He'd save him, even if it was the last thing he'd do.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Damned Naruto.

His right hand was supporting him as he pushed up and then slowly lowered himself, with his useless arm thrown behind his back. He'd lost count of the number of pushups he had forced himself to do, just like he'd forgotten how many days had passed since leaving the hospital. It could've been months for all he knew.

Sasuke dropped himself onto his carpet, regretting it quickly when his chest and face touched the ground abruptly. Across the left side of his face and around his eye was a purple bruise, still ripe from when Naruto decked him into submission, or so Naruto told him. He didn't remember it. He couldn't remember it. That night was a total blank, from the moment his lips touched the first bottle to when he woke up in the morning. Nowadays, he preferred it that way. He couldn't stand being sober. He remembered things when he was sober; like how useless he was.

It felt as if he couldn't do anything anymore. Without his arm, he couldn't be on Team Konoha anymore. It was only a matter of time until he was dropped and left to rot. What would he do? Streaming was out of the question; his following would want to see Shinobi Showdown and games like it. Become homeless, he supposed.

There was a soft knock at his door. He ignored it at first but the voice that spoke caught his attention. Feminine, welcoming, a gentle interruption to his harsh thoughts. "Come in, it's open," he grunted.

Pink hair appeared from behind the door as it opened to reveal just who he expected it to be. Sakura was still in her scrubs and her hair was clamped behind her head with a clip. She looked exhausted, but her expression quickly shifted when her eyes honed onto him still on the floor.

Right, he had lost himself in his thought and didn't sit up.

"Did you fall?" Sakura asked in a worried tone. She rushed into the room, dropping her bag by the door as she went to aid him.

Before she could reach him, he shoved himself to his feet while being all too aware of the dead weight swaying next to him. "I'm fine. I was just doing some pushups," he said. Sakura stopped short.

"Ah, well, I brought some groceries," she said before turning back to grab the bag she had abandoned, "I figured I could get some meals made for you again. You like steak and tomatoes, right?"

He watched her scoop up the bag and turn around. When she caught him staring, she smiled, and he turned his gaze away.

Yet another thing he could no longer do by himself. He could no longer cook for himself as chopping and cutting required two hands. There were certainly some things he could make, like instant ramen, but it wasn't the same as what he used to be able to make for himself. He had never been amazing at cooking, but he was able to keep himself alive just fine. Now he couldn't even do that. Sakura made meals for him now.

He slid his sling from the back of the couch and began to fasten his useless arm to the front of his grey shirt. What a bother. Sometimes he truly wished it had just been amputated. It would've been more distressing on your mental and emotional state. The doctor had told him about amputation. Better to leave the limb just in case. Bah. Sasuke felt like he'd still prefer to lose the dead weight instead.

There was clinking from the kitchen and Sasuke didn't need any more cues to know that Sakura had started work on cooking. He couldn't do anything to help her. She came over to his apartment as often as she could with her hectic schedule just to make sure he was OK, yet he was useless.

He couldn't do anything now. Couldn't work, couldn't cook. He couldn't even bring himself to visit any of his teammates. Neji he'd heard was stuck with a broken leg but would be fine. Sai had been wrapped in wires when they found him and Sasuke hadn't heard anything about him after that. And Lee…

Sasuke hadn't been able to help any of them. He'd seen someone move in the audience and left that bag alone by itself. He should have known, should have said something. Sasuke could've prevented the whole thing by just saying something.

He didn't.

He had failed them all.

"Sasuke." Her voice cut through his dark thoughts. She was standing over him with a plate of something in her hands. It took him a moment before he realized he had sat down on his sofa at some point in his suffering. Sakura lowered herself next to him with a look of concern, "Are you feeling OK? You're awfully pale. Also, when did you get that black eye?" she reached forward with the intent to touch him.

He quickly ducked his head to try and avoid her hand, "I tripped." The lie came easily. It didn't weigh heavily on his shoulders as it would've before the explosion.

It didn't stop her. "Let me see," she said, tapping his chin with a soft touch.

He hesitated for a moment but held up his head. In the corner of his tender eye, he saw her flinch. "You tripped? And hit what, exactly?" she asked, quietly.

"Just the table," he shot back, his voice a little more irritated than he had meant it to be.

Sakura pulled back her hand with a frown. Nothing. He felt nothing at her saddened reaction. She could've punched him right then and there and he'd have felt nothing toward her. Sakura could yell, she could call him the worse thing and he would still feel emptiness. It wasn't because of her, she was fine. But if she left him alone right now, he wouldn't care.

"Well, here. I've cut up everything already." She placed the plate of food on the coffee table in front of him before she disappeared from his vision.

Sasuke's eyes wandered toward the city-skyline out his window. He watched as the sun moved across the sky, inching its way toward the horizon.

Why…? Why had this all happened? And he hadn't stopped it…

He could hear Sakura speaking, but his mind didn't register what she was saying. He was aware that she moved closer to him before pulling away and vanishing from his murky senses. Inky darkness eventually overtook the daylight. It wasn't until an apartment in the building across from his flipped on a light and made him realize he'd hadn't moved in a while. His neck almost creaked as he turned his head. Sakura was gone and all that was left of her was the plate of cut up food she had prepared for him. He watched it for a while, pondering over whether or not it was worth the energy to reach for it.

Sasuke turned his nose. He pushed himself to his feet and, almost automatically, crossed his living room to the bar. This was what he needed. Not food, not comfort. He needed to forget.

He grabbed three bottles of anything that was already opened and carelessly placed them on the counter. He wasn't quite sure what they were, it didn't matter what they were. He just needed to stop feeling.

With the first one in his hand, he meandered toward his streaming room. The alcohol was harsh against his throat as he took his first swig. Whiskey? Brandy? It tasted terrible so it would make his mind blank, for sure.

He'd already replaced the mouse with one of the backups he'd purchased with the original. Sasuke sat down at the desk, making sure to coat his throat even more with poison as he did so. His head felt like it was beginning to spin, but he was nowhere near where he wanted to be on his level of intoxication.

Clicking around, he finally found what he was looking for; Shinobi Showdown. He launched the application and the familiar intro screen with kunai and shuriken flying greeted him like an old friend. His heart jumped slightly, he took another drink.

The home screen eventually loaded. Two newer characters were positioned in attack stances by the "Play Now" button. He wasn't interested in starting a game. He clicked on the "View Shinobis" tab. The screen shifted to a long list of characters and their art, all radiating their different and fabricated personalities. Sasuke drank again.

"Minako… where is Minako?" he scrolled through the growing list. It took him a moment to focus his vision and concentrate, but he eventually found the blond character he had played last. He squinted against the blue light of his monitor as he selected him. A larger image of Minako loaded onto his screen, with a bio that featured his made-up backstory, stats, and abilities that Sasuke knew by heart. It was his art that Sasuke was staring intently through his foggy vision. His bright blue eyes stared back at Sasuke, with a very familiar looking grin on his face.

Minako… he really looked just like…

Sasuke threw his mouse to the side and spun around the chair to face away from the screen. No way that Naruto guy had a character in Shinobi Showdown based after himself. Naruto was a nobody—a nobody who boasted that they were somehow similar because he had a burnt-up arm. Sasuke gripped the bottle in anger before pressing it to his lips. It was obviously just a coincidence. The bottle became lighter and lighter until it was dry. He dropped it on the carpet, it bounced before it rolled to a stop by the door.

A coincidence for sure.

He stumbled back to the bar and grabbed the next bottle. He vaguely saw the outline of a… pirate? Was it rum? He shrugged off the thought. Was that even a thought? He wasn't even sure if he could think anymore. Everything was fuzzy, everything was numb. He could be numb, numb was easy.

He turned and crashed onto the leather sofa. For a moment he watched the ceiling as it swam above him. His head was empty, he was free. There was no guilt, no shame. He felt OK, finally. It felt like he no longer had to be angry. He tipped back the second bottle. The rum slid so easily down into his body. It was like second nature to lose himself in the bottom of a bottle.

A vibration next to his head alerted him to his phone. The screen lit up, blinding him as he looked at it. It took all his effort to scoop it into his palm while trying to balance the open bottle. He strained his eyes, attempting to read the name on the screen.

Oh, Itachi. He squinted, trying to read what his brother had sent him. Something about his mother?

Sasuke sloppily tapped out the only thing he could think of. His phone corrected his terrible spelling and, satisfied, he clicked send. He dropped his arm to the side, the phone fell from his fingers and tumbled across the carpet.

He took another swig of whatever it was in the bottle before that also fell from his limp grasp. Briefly, he wondered if he could be like this forever. If he could just be in a continuous stupor of worry-free bliss. Out of the corner of his closing eye, he could see his phone illuminating with Itachi's text messages. That all didn't matter… he'd be free soon.

His eyes closed and his mind went blank.

ooooo

"Mom is expecting you to be at the family reunion next Sunday. She said she'll make you those onigiri with tomatoes if you cooperate."

Itachi placed his phone down on the counter of his small kitchen, not expecting Sasuke to reply anytime soon. His little brother was far better at technology than most people Itachi knew, but checking his phone wasn't his top priority. He closed the door of his fridge with a swift flick of his wrist and dumped the ingredients onto the cutting board he'd prepared.

He stretched his arms out in front of him, all too ready for the cooking process to be done so he could eat. Today had been agonizing; too long he'd been trapped at his desk at the police station.

Every path he took in the investigation had turned out to be a dead end. Every lead, every person he tracked down, nothing came of them. He hadn't gone to talk to this Kiba kid Naruto had told him about, but he had looked into his background. Despite multiple infractions as a teenager, he seemed to manage to keep clean—for the most part.

His phone went off with a friendly jingle, one that he had set specifically for Sasuke whenever he texted. That was quick. He wasn't expecting to see anything from his brother until tomorrow, at the earliest. He dropped the carrot he was peeling and unlocked his phone screen.

"Goodbye."

Itachi blinked in confusion and read the text again, then a third time. No, it definitely said "Goodbye". But why? Why was Sasuke sending him this?

Frantically, he typed out reply after reply, begging Sasuke to answer him. No response, which was typical, but also frightening. He clenched his jaw. He needed to get to Sasuke.

He tapped the call button as he grabbed his keys and dashed for his apartment door. With every ring left unanswered, his heart jumped further up into his throat. His fingers curled under the handle of his car door when his call was forwarded to the default voicemail message. He knew what that meant. He'd seen enough cases to know that a "goodbye" and voicemail meant. It was just that he never thought he would be experiencing this rush of terror and grief for himself.

Itachi gripped onto the steering wheel of his police cruiser. Driving through the city was torment, even with his siren blaring and lights flashing to part the traffic. His heart throbbed and he pushed back the tears that threatened to overtake his eyesight. He tried so desperately to keep calm. This was just like any other case. Just like any other time, someone needed help.

It was just that it was his brother this time.

He swiveled into the parking garage. The steering wheel nearly snapped off as he yanked it hard and pulled up on his emergency brake. His tires screeched to a halt, surely leaving rubber trails where they skidded. He silenced the siren but left the lights flashing to alert anyone that there was something going on and to keep clear.

The climb to the twelfth floor was agony but eventually, Itachi grabbed the doorknob of 12-12.

Locked. Of course, it was. If someone wanted to kill themselves, they wouldn't make it easy for people to help. He took a step back, fumbling slightly with his keys until he found the extra one Sasuke had given him. With a click, he pushed it open.

There was a red stain at his feet the moment he entered. For a moment, he thought maybe Sasuke had cut himself there. But no, he quickly rationalized by the empty bottles of alcohol laying on the bar and in the hall that it was probably red wine. He stepped further into the room, squinting into the darkness long enough to find a light switch.

As the yellow light illuminated the space, his eyes immediately darted to his brother. He was lying still on the couch, skin pale and muscles unmoving. Itachi's tongue folded in on itself. He felt acid from his stomach rise unforgivably. For a moment, he felt everything falling apart. The desperation took hold long enough for the self-doubt to capture his mind and he staggered toward where his little brother lay.

Was Sasuke… was he dead?

Itachi dropped to his knees next to him. "Sasuke," he breathed, shaking the younger man, "Sasuke, wake up!"

No response.

He wanted to crumble, he wanted to break down and beg for his brother to come back. But he couldn't do that. He had to try everything in his power to make sure Sasuke would be OK. Itachi narrowed his eyes and took in one, giant breath. On release, he allowed his mind to clear. He needed the calm, he needed to focus.

Itachi pressed his fingers against Sasuke's neck. His pulse was slow, but it was there. It was then that he also noticed the shallow breathing. Sasuke was still alive, but barely. There was hope, but he had to get Sasuke to the hospital.

He darted away from the couch and toward Sasuke's bedroom where he ripped the comforter from the bed. Once he had it draped over his brother for some extra warmth, he hoisted him up and out of the apartment.

If Sasuke lived through this… Itachi didn't know what he'd do. He wanted to yell and call him foolish. But he knew he wouldn't be able to bring himself to that. Itachi would never be able to be mad at Sasuke, especially when Sasuke was hurting. He looked to the pale, frail boy against his shoulder. Sasuke looked so at peace at the moment, but Itachi knew better. He'd seen far, far too many of victims of depression.

So, if Sasuke lived through this, Itachi promised he'd be there more. He wouldn't leave Sasuke to himself in the dark, ever again.

ooooo

Hinata held open the apartment door for Hanabi.

"Oh, you should've seen their goalie's face when he scored on himself," Hanabi was gossiping about the soccer game they had just come from. A 3-1 win, one that Hinata was proud to say she was able to witness. It hadn't spent nearly enough time with Hanabi after she had stormed out of her father's big empty mansion. She definitely wanted to make up for lost time with her little sister.

Hanabi, still wearing her cleats and uniform, stepped into Hinata and Naruto's apartment. It was just as she left it, spotless with the kitchen light on. The very sight of the hanging plants that helped divide the kitchen and living room made her smile. She remembered when she brought them home and had had Naruto help hang them. He had immediately stopped playing his PlayBox720 to add the cozy addition to their home, even though she could hear his party yelling from his headset.

Every picture that hung on the wall, little knickknacks from their time together, it all meant the world to her. This apartment was her true home, painted-white wooden panels and all.

Her little sister disappeared toward the bathroom. Hinata began to shut the door but stopped when a voice called out, "Oh, room 133?" Hinata peaked out from behind the frame to see a man in a post-office uniform. She glanced around at the sky. The sun was setting, how late did the post office stay open?

"I've got some deliveries for you," the man said and grabbed at his giant satchel.

"Ah, my boyfriend must've ordered something?" Hinata's voice was naturally very quiet, so she wasn't surprised when the man didn't react to her statement.

Once he successfully fished out the boxes, he held them out to her with a goofy grin. Gingerly, she took them from him and held them against her chest, "Thank you," she said, a little louder than her previous words.

"Of course, ma'am," he saluted a goodbye and dashed off from their little balcony.

Hinata wandered inside, staring down at the two packages in her arms. Both were addressed to Naruto. One looked official like it was from a website. The other had his name scrawled out in messy penmanship. She placed them both on their painted-white coffee table before pulling out her phone and snapping a picture. She'd send it to Naruto and let him know his packages had arrived. No, even better, she'd call him.

Her fingers maneuvered over her phone until she found Naruto's name. Smiling, she pressed the call button and caressed the phone to her cheek. It only took him two rings to pick him up and she had waltzed into the kitchen by the time he did.

"Hinata!" he cheered, only making her smile even more.

"Hello, Naruto," she said, her heart bubbling with happiness at his voice, "I'm just calling to tell you that I'm at the apartment. You've got stuff waiting for you here."

"You're at the apartment, why?"

She pulled a glass from a cabinet, "Hanabi had a soccer game today. She wanted to shower and the apartment was closer than the house. Plus, I figured it's a nice break for her, to be here instead. Maybe you can come over and show her how to play Shinobi Showdown."

"That sounds great! I had planned to, anyway. Go to the apartment, I mean."

"Ah, also, can I ask what you ordered? One of the boxes looks pretty official, the other one looks like they could barely write your name," she flipped the faucet on the sink, filling her glass through their water purifier.

"Did you just say there were two packages? I only ordered one thing." Naruto sounded confused.

Hinata glanced toward the living room, to where the two parcels sat. Her eyes floated to the oven clock, noting the 7:59 lit brightly on the screen. He'd be there soon enough, before 8:30, at least.

"Yes," Hinata said, "two packages. Maybe an old friend of yours sent you something?" she let her eyes drift closed as she leaned back and took a sip of water.

"Maybe… I don't know if I trust it, though. Be careful."

"I'm sure it's fine."

Hinata opened her eyes and watched as the 7:59 blinked into 8:00. A blinding burst of heat suddenly pushed her back against the counter. Her phone flew out of her hand by the sheer force of the blast that came from her living room. Her elbow and hip screamed when they collided with the floor. It was not fine. She was wrong. Hinata lay on her kitchen floor, something warm and sticking pooling around her head and soaking into her hair.

"Hinata! HEY! What was that?" Naruto's voice came from her phone that was somewhere out of her reach. She stretched her arm out, anyway, desperately clawing toward his calls. He needed to know she was ok, that the last thing he needed to worry about was her death.

No—she couldn't worry about her phone or Naruto, not when Hanabi was… Hinata tried to blink her haze away but that simple action didn't unblur her world. She grabbed onto the solid-most thing close to her and hoisted herself up. As she did so, glass and splinters of wood fell away from her and added to the litter on the ground.

The package that Naruto wasn't expecting—it had to have been that. On the other side of the wall next to the blast was the bathroom. Hanabi could be hurt… She needed to help Hanabi. Her first step wobbled. Behind her, somewhere, Naruto's voice was screaming. She couldn't turn around to comfort him. She needed to save her sister.

The way to the bathroom was littered with debris but Hinata stumbled her way over it, effectively keeping her balance only thanks to the years of rigorous training from ballet to ballroom dance her father had made her do. Suddenly, she was grateful to him. Deep down, she was even hoping that her father would show up and tell her everything would be OK. That Hanabi was going to be fine and he and Naruto would take care of her. Hinata could only just imagine the giant hug from her father that she secretly wished for. And she wanted it more than anything right now.

"Hanabi?" Hinata called out as she reached the threshold.

Hanabi was curled up, half-naked, opposite the ruined wall where a pipe sprayed water. She looked up, relief on her face when she heard Hinata's voice. Hinata grabbed at the wall of the bathroom until her hand fell on one of the bathrobes. Was it hers? Naruto's? She wasn't sure and it didn't matter. "Hanabi, come." She motioned for her sister. Hanabi was eager to oblige, making sure she grabbed her phone from the counter before she donned the robe.

They stumbled back toward the living room, Hanabi making sure Hinata didn't trip over any splinted wood or ruined furniture. Halfway through the destroyed room, Hanabi stopped, jerking Hinata a bit. "Do you… smell that?" Hanabi asked, her nose wrinkled, "It's terrible."

Hinata dug her fingers into her sister's shoulders. The scent that was wafting around them she recognized as something unsafe. It was the same scent that colorful mascots on TV told you to run from if it was in your house. Like someone had cracked open a dozen eggs in the middle of the room and let them sit there for weeks. She pushed against Hanabi, "Keep moving," she ordered as she tried to keep her head straight.

The door was already ajar, pushed off its hinges by the explosion. They nearly fell as they passed through it, as Hinata sagged against Hanabi's shoulder. It was getting harder to concentrate. Her limbs felt as if they were lined with lead while also being made of jelly. It was almost a miracle Hinata was still upright.

"Hey, don't fall asleep on me!" Hanabi yelped and dragged Hinata off the porch and onto the grass surrounding the apartments. All around them, curious neighbors were leaving their rooms, watching from a safe distance. Some were yelling. Others were on their cell phones, either calling someone or recording the event.

Hinata fell onto the soft grass, her head turning toward the now ruined apartment. Maybe once the gas was gone, she'd be able to save something. Maybe the pictures of her and Naruto. Maybe the dress she wore on their first date. She needed to save at least one of their precious memories.

Another explosion rattled the apartment. The people around them were shouting louder now, some cursing, others yelling into their phones to the poor emergency operators. She felt her eyes grow large. It felt like a hand plunged into her chest and began squeezing her heart. Hinata just watched as all their hard work and memories were now engulfed by angry flames. Her fingers wrapped around the green grass and she held on. If she let go, she was afraid she'd go floating away into the atmosphere. Her insides screamed. Inch by inch, that hand was threatening to rip out her heart and toss it onto the flames. That was her home. Their home. One they'd built together. Now it was up in smoke.

Someone had done this, but who? Who would want to send them a bomb in the mail? Someone not in their right mind, someone who wanted to see people suffer.

"Hinata…"

She was barely aware her sister was holding her around her shoulders. Hinata looked around at Hanabi and then really saw the robe she had grabbed. Black and fluffy with orange around the cuffs. She had saved one thing of Naruto's. And she had saved her sister.

Hinata lifted her trembling hands. Yes, her sister. Her sister was OK. She was alive. Pressure built up behind her eyes and she bit down on her lip. "Hanabi!" she cried with a shaky voice before she threw her arms around the teenager. It was all she needed to say for Hanabi to realized just how much pain Hinata was suffering through. She felt Hanabi's arms embrace her tight and her face bury into the crook of her neck.

All those physical reminders of memories were nothing compared to the girl in her arms. Hanabi was safe and Hinata was alive. That was all that they needed.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The sky was glowing red.

His lungs stung as he raced away from his jeep, in the direction of the glow. His legs buckled slightly as he jumped over the curb. He cursed himself for not ranting an apartment that was right by the parking lot. Typically, a long and leisurely walk from his car to their place wasn't so bad. He'd usually preferred taking in the beauty of the small community they'd chosen to live in, except for when he had to carry a lot of groceries.

Right now was not one of those leisurely times.

Naruto crashed through the gate that was supposed to be locked but never was. He barreled past people who were standing at the doors of their own apartments. They whispered, words of "What was that?" and "There was a giant boom!". He tried to ignore them. All he could do was concentrate on finding Hinata and hoping, praying she was still alive.

She had to be alive!

Slowing his pace, he arrived at the apartment. Firefighters were spraying down the blaze; the giant firetruck was parked in a limited access road just behind their apartment. He'd never thought anyone would use that road, he even assumed it pointless, but now he was glad it was there. Behind the firetruck was an ambulance with its red and blue lights whirling. Silhouettes of four people were outlined against the flames. Two of them were taking one away on a gurney, while a smaller one followed with a robe too big for them trailing behind them on the ground. Naruto held his breath. That smaller figure had to be…

He took a step forward, "Hanabi?" he called out. Another step. The figure stopped and turned. That was her, he knew it! Naruto sprinted forward until he was right in front of her. He wasn't prepared for Hanabi's arms to grasp around him as he slid to a stop. He stumbled at first but then gently laid his hands on her shoulder and said, "Hanabi, are you alright?"

With her face buried into his chest, she furiously shook her head. Naruto put one arm around her shoulders and pet the back of her head with his other hand. If Hanabi was here, then Hinata was… His eyes followed the two paramedics, trying to see who lay on the gurney they wheeled away. When the turned slightly, he saw the long, dark hair he knew belonged to Hinata, dangling from the side. He didn't see anything else, but he didn't need to. He would've recognized those beautiful locks anywhere.

He glanced down at Hanabi. She was slightly more relaxed now, but she clung onto him without moving. Naruto squeezed her before stepping out of her embrace and crouching slightly to meet her gaze on her level. His hands tightened around her shoulders and he said, "Let's follow the paramedics, yeah? We should stay with Hinata."

She looked down at the grass. Naruto took a knuckle and tapped her chin with a kind touch. He knew exactly how she felt. The way his guts churned with uncertainty and fear made him want to throw up. His heart felt as if it was trying to pop out of his chest with how fast it was beating. But he needed to be strong, for Hanabi… for Hinata, "Chin up, please? Hinata wouldn't want you looking so sad." The fascinating purple eyes looked up at him. She had the same eyes as her sister.

The heel of her hand rubbed away any tears in her eyes. She nodded, her movement sharp with determination. Naruto squeezed her shoulder one last time before guiding her toward the flashing lights of the ambulance.

ooooo

"Really, Naruto. I'll be OK," Hinata said, from where she sat in a hospital bed.

She was in a damned hospital bed and she was trying to tell him she was fine. Naruto crossed his arms with a pout on his lips.

Hanabi was curled up next to Hinata on her bed with her head snuggled on her older sister's shoulder. She was asleep. The moment Hinata was cleared from the emergency room and put her in overnight care, they nestled up together and Hanabi passed out. Hinata had one arm around Hanabi who was still wrapped in his bathrobe. He watched as her other hand unfolded toward him, her eyes begging him to take it.

He let go of a sigh. His wrapped-up fingers reached out and curled around hers. It felt natural, holding her hand. The moment they made contact, a tender smile lit up her face and the tension in his jaw melted away.

"It's only a concussion," she said, "Both Hanabi and I were very lucky."

"That's for sure," Naruto replied. He shuffled closer and leaned across the bed frame, still holding tight to her hand. His lips found her forehead and he let them linger there for a moment before gazing into her eyes. Almost immediately, her face had gone flushed. He grinned, "Good, you're feeling better already."

She didn't say anything, he just felt her squeeze his hand.

Of course, peace wouldn't last. He could hear angry shouts coming from down the hall. Naruto straightened up, his eyes zooming to the hidden door. He knew that voice.

"Sir, visiting hours are—" a nurse's voice, one he recognized as one who had scolded him for one reason or another.

"I am their father! I will see them as I please!" a loud, proud voice shouted, it would have carried up at least two more floors with how loud it was. Hinata and Hanabi's father, and honestly the last person Naruto wanted to see right now.

The door slammed open with a loud crash. Hanabi let out a scream of surprise as she ripped upward away from Hinata's comfortable embrace. Naruto just held firm to Hinata's hand as Hiashi stormed into the room. The older man's eyes darted between the three of them. Naruto saw him taking in the sight of Hinata comforting Hanabi once more. His glare at Naruto could've shattered him if Naruto didn't have the self-confidence that he had.

The nurse came running in next, "Please, sir, at least be reasonable," she pleaded.

Hiashi turned his glare on her, "Reasonable? Reasonable? My daughters were in a terrorist attack and you want me to be REASONABLE?" Naruto's jawline tightened again. Hiashi continued to reem the poor nurse, "I am well within my rights to visit my children—" he jabbed a finger at the woman— "whenever I please, especially right after an emergency. And furthermore—"

The verbal abuse continued. Naruto's heartbeat quickened. He had to stop this before it got too out of control. Squeezing Hinata's hand one last time, he broke from her hold and stepped briskly forward. "I do not appreciate being told I couldn't—" Naruto stepped confidently in between the raging geezer and his shivering target. He felt saliva hit his face as he interrupted Hiashi mid-sentence.

"Mr, Hyuga, I suggest you calm down," Naruto said in the lowest monotone voice he could muster.

Hiashi's sharp glare landed on Naruto, but it only made him stand taller. A venomous silence filled the room as they watched each other with their own determinations. It was so quiet and still, Naruto wondered if the world had lost all sound. Perhaps he had gone deaf? The older man deepened his frown, the folds around his lips becoming more evident as he did so, "You, young man, have no right to tell me to calm down."

"Like hell I don't." Naruto planted his hands firmly on his hips, "I'm sure Miss Nurse doesn't want to have to call for security to force you to stop."

Hiashi folded his arms over one another, under the large sleeves of his tradition-looking robes. Typically, Naruto would take that as a sign of defense. He knew Hiashi had been trained to hold his arms in a "proper" way. He'd seen Hinata do it plenty of times, even when she wasn't wearing the traditional outfit. So Hiashi wasn't going on defense; he was getting comfortable.

"Young man, based on my assumptions alone, that bomb was most likely meant for you," Hiashi said, his voice was now calm and collected.

Naruto's muscles froze and a sudden, cold realization hit him at Hiashi's words. Though there was no way Hiashi would know that package had been for him. Hinata had said the packages were both addressed to him. So it had to have been for him. He tried not to show that Hiashi's word had struck a chord with him, but the man read the subtle hints Naruto must have given away.

"Oh? So it seems my assumption was true." He narrowed his eyes slightly, "Afterall, Hinata is no longer heiress to the Hyuga clan's holdings and businesses. It isn't likely an attacker would go after Hanabi at your residence. That was meant for you and how unfortunate for them that you weren't there, Son of Hokage."

Naruto's nails dug into his palms. Hiashi had a way of taking all his anger out on other people. Hinata had told him about his verbal assaults on her in the past, but he'd never been the target of it before. He preferred to keep away from the toxic man. If he didn't absolutely love Hinata to the moon and beyond, he'd probably have had knocked Hiashi on his ass by now.

But he adored Hinata.

"This, as well as the Acid Attacker that was leaked to the public earlier today… I suppose the Namikazes and their followers are being targeted. With that being said…" Hiashi cast his gaze around the room once before securing his glare on Naruto once more, "The Hyuga withdraw from supporting the Hokage and his political pursuits."

"What?" Naruto raised his fists. His voice elevated with anger, "The mighty Hyuga? Running scared? I never thought I'd see the day!"

"Furthermore," Hiashi said, his voice also rising, "you are hereby revoked from seeing my daughter. I will not allow you near her, or Hanabi for that matter. Our families are now separate."

For the first time since Naruto stepped in between Hiashi and the nurse, he heard Hinata, "Father! Please think about this!" her voice was pleading. He tried not to look toward her, tried to keep his deadly glare on Hiashi. He was finding that hard to do.

Hiashi's head snapped toward Hinata, "I will not. This is my will for our family and business. The Hyuga will no longer support the Namikaze and Hokage. You are not to see this boy again." His eyes turned back to Naruto. They were filled with so much vile hatred, "Leave, Young Namikaze, before I call security on unwanted riffraff harassing my daughters."

To put it simply, Naruto was undeniably mortified. He stared with his mouth agape at the man who commanded him to leave. The man who demanded his and Hinata's relationship to end without their will. He turned and looked at Hinata. She was in shock, her face streaked with tears she silently let them run down her cheeks. He wanted to reach out to her, wanted to hold her and never let go.

A hand reached up and rested on his shoulder, which made him look around. The nurse with glasses held his shoulder, a somber expression painting her features. She tugged, he let her slowly pull him from the room. His eyes never left the love of his life until the door closed in his face. The two just quietly stood for a moment.

"I'm sorry," the timid voice of the nurse said from behind him.

He reached up and rubbed his eyes. At first, he wasn't sure if he could say anything, not without bursting into tears. He bit down on his lip, hard, maybe hard enough to make it bleed.

"It's not your fault," he finally choked up. He slowly turned to face the guilty looking girl, "It's been really stressful recently. I'm sure that's the only reason he's reacting like this. I'm sure it'll resolve itself."

The nurse exhaled and her face looked relieved at his words. He wasn't so confident.

They walked together for a bit until they reached the closet waiting area. It was there, in the small room with a television mounted on the wall and uncomfortable chairs sitting around in a circle, he found Hinata's cousin. Neji had a pair of crutches laying across his lap and his leg wrapped in a plaster cast. He looked half asleep when Naruto and the nurse tried to sneak past him, but Neji hadn't been tired enough not to notice them.

"Naruto…" Neji's head rolled toward him, his eyes half-closed.

Naruto stopped, the nurse kept walking. With a sigh through his nose, he looked toward the other man. He really didn't want to deal with another stubborn Hyuga at the moment, "'Fraid we can't talk, Neji. Our families are no longer friends."

"What do you mean?" Neji set up straighter, wincing slightly. Right, he probably had just as many cracked ribs as Sasuke.

"Your uncle… I'm sure he'll explain more to you, but he decided my father, my family, is no longer worth supporting."

Silence fell once more. This time, the quiet was awkward, but there was nothing hostile between them. Neji slid his hand over the smooth leg of one of his crutches, "I see. So he's let his emotions blind logic once more," he said after the pause. Neji looked straight at him, he had the same eyes as Hinata, "I apologize. I tried to stop him from rushing in. There has to be a way to fix this."

Naruto let his gaze wander toward the television. On it was a new anchor who was mouthing a story about the bomb at his apartment. His hand snaked to the back of his neck, "I'm not sure about this one, Neji."

He began to slowly walk away but Neji called after him, "Naruto." He stopped and looked back at the crutch-bound Hyuga. "You and Hinata will be together again soon, I'm sure of it," Neji said.

With a half-hearted, "Yeah," Naruto finally escaped from Neji's gaze. He wasn't sure what was worse, the look of pity Neji had given him or the color of his irises that reminded him so much of Hinata. He began to wander the halls, not really following any specific path. His mind was lost. It kept wanting him to relive the recent events, but Naruto desperately tried to shove away those thoughts. Instead, he tried to think of every time he messed with Sakura while he was here before. He focused on the old memories of getting in trouble in school with Kiba. There were the brunches with his parents he treasured… Hinata really loved those.

His pace slowed as he recalled the morning before his father's incident. The four of them had sat outside on his parent's patio. They had been so happy. His father had been telling stupid jokes all morning. His mother had brewed the best hot chocolate he'd ever tasted. Hinata had been wearing the lacey dress she had worn of their first date, looking as beautiful as ever.

Those moments were gone now. His father had been taken away from him. His mother had been left a near-empty shell of herself. Now Hinata… Hinata had been torn away from him.

Whispering shook him from his depression. He blinked, attempting to clear his vision. In front of him was Itachi, standing in front of a counter with an employee other the other side. He was bent over some paper work, scratching away with a pen. Naruto glanced around, looking for a sign of where he had wondered into. He spotted the green "emergency room" sign posted on the wall. He'd been walking in a daze for a while, then. The emergency room was clear on the other side of the hospital, as far away from the public as possible. But why was Itachi here? Naruto took note of his blue shirt and work slacks. Maybe he was filling out a form for his job? Perhaps he had helped bring in some hoodlum who now needed medical assistance.

Naruto considered doing an about-face when Itachi finished up the paperwork and spotted him as he turned. The moment their eyes met, Naruto saw Itachi's face fall further than it already was.

"Hello, Naruto. I wasn't expecting to see you here," Itachi said. He turned his eyes downward before he crossed over to the nearest chair and settled down.

Naruto's hand instinctively found his neck, "I was just sort of wandering around."

Now, Naruto knew that it was none of his business as to why Itachi was here. He couldn't help being curious, though. Anything to take his mind off the Hyuga family. Itachi seemed to sense his curiosity, even without looking at him. He said, "Sit, Naruto. I have something to tell you."

The somber tone in Itachi's voice made Naruto pause. What was so terrible that made him carry his shoulders lower than usual? Naruto steadily sat next to Itachi, who continued to stare toward the swinging door that led to the emergency ward.

"Is this something about the case? Did you find something out?" Naruto asked.

Itachi shook his head, but his movements were slowed; It was like he was being hindered by molasses. He rubbed his chin and said, "It's Sasuke."

"What about him? I sobered him up the other day," Naruto said, leaning back into his chair.

"Were you the one who gave him that black eye?" Itachi accused, his gaze finally shifting away from the door to settle on Naruto.

He grimaced, "Is this off the record?"

"Yes."

Naruto scratched the back of his neck, "Ah, yeah, that was me. But he swung at me first. He was as drunk as a frat boy on a Friday night."

Itachi looked away once more, "I see. So, it happened before."

"What do you mean?"

The older man pressed his fingers against his eyes, "Naruto, he's currently in there, because of alcohol poisoning. He tried to kill himself tonight, and he still might succeed."

It felt like someone had put a gun point blank against his chest and pulled the trigger. Naruto looked the opposite way. Maybe Itachi hadn't seen the salty water drip down onto the floor. He pushed his face into his good hand. Sasuke had… he'd given up? And Naruto hadn't been there to stop him, to beat some sense into him like the other night.

"I should have seen the signs. I've worked many cases like this before," Itachi said, "He has had depression issues in the past, as well. I thought he was mostly over them." Naruto heard Itachi slam a closed fist down onto the plastic arm of the chair.

Naruto didn't say anything. Itachi's leg was shaking a little. It was the only sign of anxiety he must be feeling. Itachi was usually so stoic and calm. Never once had Naruto seen Itachi show nerves—not when he worked as security for his father or any of their brief encounters during his rambunctious high school years. In all honesty, he was surprised how Itachi was holding himself together. Naruto felt like he should walk out, curl up into the nearest gutter and just accept his new broken future.

Sasuke… Hinata… His father… Who would be next? Would they be suddenly ripped from his life? The very thought of it made his stomach squirm. He held a hand over his mouth, feeling phlegm or bile, something unpleasant try to push its way out into the world through his throat.

He jumped to his feet. "Bathroom," was all he could muster to say before he darted away, leaving Itachi to wallow in despair on his own.

Naruto barely made it to a toilet before his lunch spilled over his lips. Sweat pooled against his eyebrows, his hands shook as he pulled away from the pristine porcelain seat. He leaned back against the wall of the stall, breathing heavily from heaving away the calories he'd yet to burn. He pulled his knees up to his chest.

Everything was falling apart. One by one, people with leaving, and with them a piece of his heart. A heat that resonated in his stomach jump-started his pulse. Every second he sat on the freezing bathroom floor, his rage began boiled more furiously.

How… how DARE THEY? None of this would have ever happened if his father hadn't run for Hokage. He'd never been put in a coma. Hiashi would've never torn apart their relationship. Hell, if that bomb in his apartment had been inspired by his father, then it was all too possible that the convention bomb that sent Sasuke down a suicidal road was as well. His father was to blame for all of this. Hell, his arm wouldn't be a mangled mess if his father had just stayed in his lane instead of thinking he could lead the country.

His rage bubbling, Naruto stood and stormed from the bathroom. His feet took him the all too familiar path to the ICU, to the room that he dared not enter. But right now, he didn't care. He wanted to yell, to scream at his old man for putting them in this situation. He wanted to blame him for Sasuke, for ruining his relationship. Naruto flung open the door and stepped inside.

Naruto froze the moment he stepped around the privacy curtain. He hadn't seen his father since they had first gotten him to the hospital. There he was, laying there on the bed. He was thinner than before but still breathing. His mother's red hair was spread across the bed but was slowly shifting as she raised her head. Her eyes peaked out from under the mess of hair and she blinked at him as if she was trying to figure out if she were dreaming or not.

"Naruto?" she asked.

The moment he saw his mother, the anger evaporated. She looked exhausted. The shadows under her eyes had only added greatly to her sleep-deprived appearance. He saw her, tired, but loyal. She was always there, silently waiting for things to get better. He suddenly felt small under her gaze, like he had reverted into a child once more.

Naruto didn't bother trying to hide the grief the struck him. His forehead creased and his lips opened in a silent wail. His vision went cloudy momentarily, then cleared as tears splashed down his cheeks. He stepped forward, holding his hand out to his mother as he did so.

She was up and out of her seat in an instant. She embraced him as only she could. Even though he was so much taller than her now, he felt safe in her much smaller arms. He buried his face into her hair, trying to hold back the shaking in his chest. Her hand rubbed up and down his back, which slowly but surely brought back his calm. After a while, he pulled back. His breath was still shaky, but his quiet sobbing had ceased.

His mother reached up and cupped his face. "What's wrong, sweetie?" she asked in the voice he knew before everything had fallen apart, the voice that he desperately had needed her to have during these months of hell.

"So much is wrong… I…" his voice trailed off and he looked at his father, still asleep. He raised his right hand to his neck, "I'd like to talk to Dad… in private… Please?"

Her eyes widened slightly in surprise but nodded, "Sure, I think he'd like that. I'll be just outside if you need me." She gave him one last heartwarming hug before she left him alone with his father and the sound of the heart monitor. After so long of him avoiding his father, it wasn't really a wonder why she was flabbergasted by his request. He just felt like he needed to sit and let his father have a piece of his mind.

Naruto took a shaky step forward and gripped the cold plastic of the bed frame, "Yo, dad," he said, watching his father with a keen eye. Of course, he didn't move. There was only the simple, slow rise and fall of his chest. Naruto flattened his lips before grabbing the chair his mother had been sitting in and scouted it closer to his father. He sat and took in the gaunt features of his face before speaking once more, "Sorry… for not coming and talking to you earlier. I've just… to be honest, I don't know how to say it."

He was angry, for sure, but there was more to it. Naruto let his vision fall to his hands that were balled up on the bed sheets. Once more, his sight blurred with the intense and painful emotions.

"A lot of stuff has happened, Dad. Hinata has been taken away from me… My new friend is currently in the emergency room. I just don't know what to do anymore."

Naruto lowered his head so that the sheets were the only witness to the tears pouring down his face. He gripped onto the blanket and clenched his teeth. There was so much he wanted to say to his father. There was so much they still needed to do. His old man needed to be there for his wedding. He needed to be around when his first child was born. But at this moment in time, he felt like all hope was lost.

"Dad… It's like… everything's going wrong," he said, trying to prevent his voice from shaking but it did anyway, "Someone's gone and stolen all the hope I've ever had. It's—"

A weak touch brushed against his knuckles and he choked on his words. His head snapped upward. The first thing he saw was a skinny hand settling over his. The owner of the hand blinked his eyes, waiting for them to adjust to the light in the room. His breathing was deeper and harsher, as if his lunges were getting used to air once more.

Naruto's jaw fell. "Dad?" he gasped, in too much of a shock to do anything but gape at the waking man in front of him.

His father's eye sight seemed to return to him when he spoke. They focused on him and for the first time in a while, Naruto saw a small, weak, but warm smile spread across his dry lips.

"Naruto… why are you crying? Who do I have to beat up?"

He leaped to his feet, the anger and despair he had been feeling earlier replaced with overpowering joy. "Dad! You're awake!" Naruto had to fight himself from throwing his frail-looking father into a hug. Instead, he yelled, "Mom! Come quick!" Though, he hadn't needed to call for her. As he began shouting, the door burst open.

The wild, red hair of his mother appeared. Her cheeks were flushed pink and her eyes were wide in disbelief. But there they were. The three of them, all together, all alright. He watched as his mother closed the distance between her and the bed. She didn't hold back as Naruto did. His mother threw herself onto his torso, making both her husband and the mattress groan on the impact.

"Minato… Minato!" she sobbed into his neck and repeated his name between shudders. His father tried to hide the pain from her colliding into his tender chest and held her onto her. They were silent, all three of them. Naruto watched his parents, beaming over the fact that his father was awake and assumingly well. His father would be OK. Except Naruto noticed, as a few minutes passed, his father's face grew confused.

Naruto didn't want to ruin their moment, but he was curious. Why was his father looking around, perplex? "Dad, what's wrong?"

He looked at Naruto. His mother raised up her head to look up at his father. He took one arm away from his wife and scratched the back of his head, "Yeah, I'm just wondering… why am I in the hospital?"

ooooo

The darkness was ever consuming. All around him, there was nothing. It was as if his eyes were glued shut and he couldn't even pry them open. Some kind of current—air, water? Who knew? —rushed around him. All he knew was that he had been like this for too long. He needed to be released.

He needed to be free.

A blinding light burst from somewhere in the distance and his eyes snapped open. Minako was standing in some sort of tube, with similar tubes on either side of him. He raised his hand and pressed it to the side of his prison, only to find that his arm passed through it without any resistance. His body followed and he stepped into an endless, white space. He whipped about, looking back at his former "prison".

In the tube next to his, he noticed a girl with white hair, floating there with her eyes closed. Michi. But why was she there? As he walked, he found all his companions were in similar situations. All floating in these strange containers. He stopped in front of Toichi's and reached out to touch it.

A shock radiated through his arm. He hissed and snapped backward, pulling his hand against his chest. In front of the tube, a strange, levitating sign appeared.

"Error?" he said as he read the words. He narrowed his eyes in frustration.

He continued down the line of tubes, occasionally trying to reach for a friend to only receive the same reaction. Minako eventually came to the end, where there was nothing more except the empty white distance.

"What kind of cruel joke is this?" Minako asked aloud. He glared toward the last tube, where Zen'Yuu was sleeping. Perhaps he needed to go back to his tube? But why was he the only one awake? Frustrated, he yelled, "What the hell is going on?"

Something whizzed past him. If it wasn't for his keen eye, he would have missed it completely. His eyes darted around the expanse, trying to catch a glimpse of the whatever it was. A tickling sensation wrapped up around his arm. He jerked it up. His sleeve fell backward to reveal a string of ones and zeros nuzzling against his skin. Minako raised his other hand to swipe it off, but the string unraveled away from his arm. It wiggled around in the air in front of him, playfully jumping toward him before circling away. He watched the strange creature float around his torso before wrapping around his hand. He felt it tug and it pulled him forward by the hand, as if someone was holding it and guiding him.

"You… are you trying to lead me someplace?" he asked the string. It tugged again. Minako let it, "OK, I'll trust you. But only because you seem to know more than I do about what's going on." The string twirled once around his hand before it snuggled against it again. It led him away into the white unknown, and he let it.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

He was choking.

Sasuke frantically flung his arms through the deep, dark liquid, trying to push his way toward the single pin-prick of light he assumed must be the sun. But it was so far. There was no way he'd break the surface before he suffocated. But he had to. He fought against the heavy water as it tried to drag him further into the abyss.

His throat tightened. Bubbles went flying out from his mouth, obscuring his already dimmed vision. He kicked his legs furiously. He couldn't die here, he had to see the sun… he had to… Despite his desperate attempt to keep going, his limbs felt as if they weighed twenty pounds each. There was no way he'd find the sun again.

He bolted upright. His lips were dry, his mouth was being forced open by some sort of tube. His throat constricted uncomfortably around whatever it was that someone had pushed into his windpipe. Choking! —Choking! —Going to suffocate! He grabbed a hold of the tube and pulled, losing it and ripping it not so gently from his body. Raspy coughs escaped his lungs and a wave of nausea pushed against his sinuses. A headache pounded against his skull, feeling like it was trying split his brain in half. Sasuke fell back against the pillows with a moan.

Beeping somewhere to his right was beginning to slow as his heart settled. He noticed the IV pumping liquid into his arm. Damn, he was back in the hospital. This time was different. His mother wasn't there, but Itachi was. His brother was groggily watching him, wrapped up in the dark blue comforter from Sasuke's bed. All of this was confusing. Why exactly was he back in the hospital? Why was Itachi wearing his blanket? And why did it feel like someone had run a railroad spike through his head? He just wanted to throw up.

"Itachi," he said with a groan, "what's going on?"

"You don't remember? Of course, you don't." Itachi looked as if he'd been awake all night. He had his cheek propped against his fist and a paper cup that smelt of coffee being held by the rim with his fingertips. His brother frowned, "You texted me goodbye. I went to check on you and from what I could tell you drank a bottle and a half of whiskey and rum in I'm assuming about an hour. You're extremely lucky to be alive right now."

Sasuke raised his hand to his forehead, rubbing it as if that would help his memory of the accused event appear in his mind. When that didn't work, he dropped his arm and said, "I'm sorry." He meant it, to a degree. Itachi should have never gone through that experience. What he wasn't sorry for was the fact that he could've been dead by now. He could've been free.

Itachi squeezed his eyes shut and his lips puckered, "I don't believe you. And because of that, I've arranged it with Sakura. You'll be living at her place for a while."

"You did what?" Sasuke nearly jumped out of the bed. He would've if it weren't for the sharp tug of the IV in his arm and the rush of the world spinning around him. He glowered, "You can't do that!"

"Once you were stabilized, I returned to your apartment and packed some essentials. I took the liberty of locking it and collecting all the keys." Itachi lifted a new keyring from his belt. Sasuke recognized the three keys, the main one and two spares he'd given Itachi and Sakura. He continued, standing up, "Also, I'm fully within my right as your older brother and officer of the law. If I know someone is in trouble, I am allowed to act."

The moment Itachi moved, the sunlight filtering through the window was no longer blocked. Sasuke reeled backward as it hit his eyes and sent seething pain through his skull. He closed them and lifted his hand to block the bright, unwelcomed light. "That's stretching it a bit, don't you think?" he said.

Itachi shrugged as he pulled the comforter from his shoulders and threw it into Sasuke's chest. He caught it and instantly buried his face into it. Sweet, sweet relief.

"She'll be here to pick you up soon. Right now, I have to go see the Namikazes."

"The Namikazes?" Sasuke's eyes lifted away from his blanket to meet Itachi's, "The Hokage?"

"Yeah," Itachi said as he adjusted his uniform and tried to straighten out the wrinkles in his shirt, "Lord Hokage has woken up. I've got to go see if he can give me any more information about who caused his coma. Your duffle with your clothes and stuff is by the door." He walked away before Sasuke could say anything else.

As the door clicked close, Sasuke leaned back against the pillows. So, Lord Hokage was finally awake. At least that creepy temporary Hokage would be forced to step down now. What was his name again? Sasuke didn't know, he just knew the man made his stomach turn. Sasuke tried to avoid politics, kept himself just aware enough to know the last name of the Hokage and that he had a wife and son, but that was about it. He knew Itachi worked security for the Hokage from time to time and was investigating the incident that put him into a coma.

A nurse hustled into his room. She was talking, scolding him for some reason or another as she removed his IV and got him ready to be discharged. Eventually, she stopped and said, "Your brother brought you clothes, right? Get changed and head for the main lobby. Miss Haruno is already downstairs waiting." She was gone by the time he swung his legs from the bed. He steadied himself, fighting the wooziness that came with the extreme hangover.

Sakura was here already? He hadn't expected her to show up until much later. Sasuke grabbed the duffle from the floor and dropped it on the bed to change.

He had decided on a gray pair of sweat pants, a black shirt, and the pair of flip-flops Itachi had been kind enough to include. A couple months ago, Sasuke would have tried to look at least a little bit presentable. Now was totally different. He didn't care if people saw him looking as if he had just rolled out of bed. He felt like shit, he'd let that reflect in his clothes. Maybe people would leave him alone that way.

The walk from the elevator to the main lobby was short but agonizing with every sensation his brain was trying to absorb. He kept his eyes down, staring at the ugly floor tiles as he walked. He didn't want to accidentally make eye contact with anyone.

"Yeah! We raised 10grand in one stream," Sakura's voice floated toward him from around the corner. She sounded so cheerful for someone who was coming to pick up an asshole like him.

Sasuke stumbled around the corner. His eyes met Sakura, wearing a pair of tan shorts and a cherry-red blouse. She was leaning against the counter, talking to the receptionist. As Sasuke approached, he noticed the receptionist had a deeper voice, one that made him wary.

"That's really cool. It's so awesome you do that kind of stuff for charity, Sakura," the man beamed at her. The look he was giving Sakura made him uncomfortable. Sasuke shook his head. He was being stupid. This man was just being friendly. There was no need to overreact.

Sasuke couldn't quite shake the feeling that the receptionist's gaze was a little too friendly at times.

"It's the least I can do. My community gives so much love and positivity. I can give back somehow," Sakura said with a grin. He stepped closer, Sakura seemed to catch his movement in the corner of her eye, and she turned, "Oh, Sasuke!"

"Sakura," he said in greeting.

Her grin grew even wider and she turned back to the reception boy, "Right. I've got Sasuke now. I'll be off. Don't work too hard!"

"You know me, I never do," the boy waved after them as Sakura lead Sasuke toward the sliding doors.

Once they were safely out of the hospital, Sasuke couldn't help but glare back toward the man. From what he could see through the darkened glass, the receptionist seemed to go back to the paperwork on his desk. So maybe he was just imagining that flirtatious vibe he was getting off him. Perhaps he was just truly in awe of how great Sakura was.

"The apartment's not much. My roommate isn't expecting you, but she's pretty cool," Sakura said, breaking him from concentrating on the door. She led him toward the hospital parking garage where he assumed she had parked her car in the employee parking. But she stopped short, next to a lime green beetle on the street. She didn't have a car when they'd just joined Team Konoha so he wasn't sure what he had expected. Somehow, he wasn't surprised that she was driving a beetle of all models.

Despite that fact, he couldn't help but snort.

"What?" she looked around at him with an accusing eye.

"I'm just not surprised at all that you drive one of these."

"It was the least expensive at the time. Besides, I'm only a Junior Resident. It's not like I can afford a new car." She stepped off the sidewalk and around to the driver's side. Sasuke couldn't help but think that if she had stayed with Team Konoha, then maybe she would've been able to afford a new car.

Once they were settled, in they sped off down streets Sasuke hadn't seen in years. He hadn't had the need to drive through the older portions of the city since he moved. His apartment was at most about ten years old. His parents had moved into a smaller, newer home now that he and Itachi were no longer living with them. Itachi had settled for a more modest apartment a bit further out of the way, but close enough to visit family at the drop of a hat. The streets Sakura were taking were older but familiar. He remembered when they were teenagers when they'd bike down the cracked sidewalks like these.

Every position he tried to situate himself in was worse than the last. The bumpy roads didn't help his queasy stomach and only added to his brain rattling around in his skull. But he tried to keep his eyes on the streets. Though it was old and worn out, the apartments and homes felt more personal than the newer ones he lived it. These streets felt familiar, like he was returning home, almost.

His small portion of the Uchiha clan wasn't always as well off as they were now. His father had been the lowest rung in the police force for a long time. Until one day, he got a promotion. After that, he basically jumped up that ladder until he settled into the director's position. Sasuke remembered it vaguely. One day they were living moderately, then the next everything turned around. It was after a string of promotions that Sasuke got his first video game. It was that moment that had cemented his future as a streamer and e-sport player.

"Here it is," Sakura said as she turned the wheel and pulled into a driveway surrounded by trees with drooping branches.

Sasuke had been expecting an apartment complex but the building they stopped beside was a worn-down duplex with brown trim. He followed Sakura to the door, which he noticed someone had painted a bright pink that disagreed with his headache. Before she reached for the brass handle, she turned to him, pressing her back against the door. Sakura raised her index finger to her lips and whispered, "My roommate is probably still asleep, so try to be quiet."

"Easy enough." He'd be quiet for his own sake.

Sakura nodded and then pushed the door open. Inside was organized chaos. The kitchen was cluttered with decorative china and small ceramics of different farm animals. In the little living area, Sakura had a couch and chair, facing toward a small television that he noticed had a PlayBox connected to it. All around the walls were prints and posters in frames that didn't match one another. If they had more room, then it probably wouldn't have seemed as cluttered as it was.

The door creaked and he looked back as Sakura closed it. He noted that his side of the door was a much more pleasant purple.

"Welcome to our home," she smiled then proceeded to slip out of her sneakers and pushed them toward the shoe rack with her foot. Sakura gestured toward a door to their right, "That's the bathroom. It's our only one. You'll have to excuse the makeup everywhere. I've tried to tell Ino she should film in her room, but she complains about the lighting…"

Ino? Why did the name sound familiar? He watched her bypass the kitchen and walk into the living room where she pointed out the two bedroom doors, "My room and Ino's room. I hope you don't mind the sofa. It folds out into a bed." She placed her hands on the back of the futon, patting it with that continuous grin.

"Yeah, that's fine… you don't happen to have something for headaches?" he asked. He held his fingertips up to his forehead, trying to block out the light coming in from the window.

"Oh, yes of course. I'll get you some pills and water, hold on. Go ahead and sit, if you'd like." Sakura disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Sasuke standing at the entrance still.

He kicked off the flipflops and trudged toward the futon, removing the comforter from his shoulder and resting it over the back of it. At least he had that little comfort from home. The duffle was a bit more of a struggle with only his one arm. Itachi had packed it tight and it was heavy, but he managed to slip it over his head and drop it onto the futon unceremoniously.

Sasuke was going to drop down onto the couch and bury himself in his comforter when shouting from the other side of one of the doors made him stop. Who the hell was causing such a terrible racket this early? The sound felt as if it pushed his brain around in his skull, knocking it back and forth like a ping pong ball. "Welcome back! Let's get another 'Get Ready With Me' vid going! As you see I've already chosen this cute dress!" the shrill voice exclaimed with excitement.

Sakura stepped out of the bathroom, a bottle of pills in one hand and her other fist clenched tightly. She glared toward Sasuke and tried to put on a happy face again but failed as her roommate kept rambling on about the choice of colors for today's outfit. Sighing, she said, "I'm sorry. I'll tell her to be quieter, but nothing is guaranteed."

He watched her storm toward the door the voice was radiating from. She banged on the door with her fist and didn't bother waiting for a response before shooting inside. The door shut behind her and Sasuke heard Ino say, "Hey careful with the camera!" They continued their conversation in hushed tones, which Sasuke was grateful for. He sank down onto the futon and pulled his blanket up into his face. The darkness was once again a welcome reprieve from the harmful lights.

The door opened and closed once more. "She should be quieter," Sakura said. Sasuke didn't say anything or unbury his face. He just listened to her footsteps as she crossed the floor. There was a burst of rushing water and then more footsteps. After a second, her fingertips tenderly touched his shoulder, "I've got water and the pills for you." At those words, he finally looked up.

She was standing above him, a glass in one hand and the lid of a medicine bottle in another. He went to reach for both but ended up mentally smacking himself. He only had one hand. Pills first. He took the cap and tipped the pills into his mouth before accepting the water.

"Great. You should try to sleep more. I'll make lunch later. How does—" as she spoke, the door of Ino's room slammed open. Sasuke's eyes rolled and he felt his stomach jump at the impact. He peered around at the girl who had rudely burst into the room.

She had long, platinum hair, pulled away from her face. She took brisk steps forward, her violet dress swishing around her knees as she walked. The camera in her hand had a blinking red light, telling him that it was recording. Great, he didn't need a vlogger posting videos of him hung over and essentially armless. Before Sakura could scold her roommate, Ino stopped dead in her tracks when she spotted Sasuke. With a snap, she quickly shut the screen.

"S-Sasuke?" she gaped at him.

He recognized her then. Sasuke had only met her in passing, but he knew her. The woman in front of him was non-other than Sai's girlfriend. Sai didn't really talk about her too much. He'd mentioned she was a beauty vlogger on ViewTube but nothing more about her. That was why her name sounded familiar.

The camera slipped from her fingers, landing on the carpet with a thud. Ino darted at him. If he were in the right state of mind, he would've dodged away. But being between Sakura and the futon, he had no place to dart away to without taking something with him. The woman clamped onto his shoulders and dug her nails through his shirt, into his skin. He couldn't help but flinch at the pressure she was putting on his muscles. Her nails were like knives!

"Where's Sai? What happened to him?" she asked, her voice was desperate and frantic, "Do you know where he is?"

Sasuke squinted. Sai… That guy hadn't shown up to tell his girl he was alright? Was he alright? If he was dead, surely someone would have told Ino, she was his girlfriend after all. A clearly very devoted girlfriend at that. He reached up, still holding the water glass, and pushed at her forearm before he said, "Ino, that hurts."

Her senses seemed to return to her at his words. She snapped her dagger-like nails away from him and instead began raking them over the cloth of the futon. "Sorry. It's just been stressful. I haven't heard anything since the blast," she said, "Please… tell me you heard from him?"

He glanced at Sakura, expecting her to look annoyed, but she just looked depressed. Was there something that Sakura wasn't telling Ino? He didn't know their relationship. He hadn't even realized they'd known each other at all. But he knew Sakura wouldn't purposefully withhold information without a reason.

"I haven't heard anything about Sai," he said, looking down at his lap.

Ino's face fell. She spun and darted back into her room. The door closed with a loud crash, leaving Sakura and Sasuke staring after her.

"I was hoping you'd be asleep before she saw you," Sakura said. He looked back around at her. She was nervously twisting one hand around the other, "I didn't know if you knew anything about Sai and I was hoping to warn her of the possibility that you maybe didn't…" She paused, still watching Ino's door as if the girl would burst out once more. She frowned, "You should get some sleep." She turned away to head toward the kitchen.

"Sakura, wait," Sasuke called after her and she stopped. He couldn't shake the feeling that she knew something. Her face had said too much her voice hadn't, "do you know something you're not telling Ino?"

She turned her head over her shoulder to look back at him. Her frown deepened and said, "He was pulled from the rubble, but he disappeared before the paramedics could take him to the hospital. I'm afraid that… either he got up and wandered away or…" she hesitated, staring at the door Ino had disappeared behind.

"Or what?" Sasuke urged.

"It's possible he was kidnapped. I'm afraid someone took him and none of us saw it." She was looking toward the door, but her mind was elsewhere. Sasuke vaguely remembered being caught under the rubble and a pair of arms cradling him. At the time, he had thought he'd known who it was. Now he had trouble remembering that entire day. He was fine with not remembering it. But because his mind was blocking so much out, there was no way he could remember what had happened to Sai.

Sakura blinked and turned her body back toward him, "I'm sure I'm just speculating too much. He's probably just fine."

He glanced briefly at Ino's door before he pulled his comforter around his shoulders. Sakura swept back up to him and dropped to her knees, so they were at the same level. She reached out toward his chin. He let her tilt his head toward her. Her other hand lifted and pressed at the skin around his bruised cheek. "It's getting better but putting some ice on it wouldn't hurt." Her hand found his shoulder and she pushed him down onto the couch, "Sleep, though. We'll worry about that black eye later… We'll worry about a lot of things later," she added that last bit as more of an afterthought than actually anything that Sasuke needed to hear.

The moment his head hit the throw pillow, he realized how heavy his body felt and just how miserable this hangover was. Sasuke shut his eyes. He heard Sakura begin to shift away. His hand shot out and he grabbed for her. Somehow, he managed to wrap his fingers around her's. He didn't know why he suddenly felt the need for her to stay. But he did. And was sure she would've pushed his hand away. Instead, she settled back down next to him with his fingers resting over hers.

ooooo

Despite having kept himself wrapped in Sasuke's comforter and holding firm to a cup of coffee, Itachi's hands were freezing. He walked through the halls of the hospital, trying to push away any fears of Sasuke doing something stupid. Sakura would take care of his little brother. There was nothing to be worried about as far as he was concerned, not immediately at least. Right now, he had to focus on work, no matter how mind-numbingly exhausted he felt.

As he approached the room where he knew Minato was, he caught sight of a familiar face standing with depression-heavy shoulders at the door. Naruto had his head low and arms crossed. His eyes were underlined with purple shadows and frustration. Itachi tossed the paper cup into the nearest trash bin and strode toward the young Namikaze.

He didn't say anything. Naruto seemed to detect him as he drew closer, snapping out of his thoughts and his eyes land on him. Itachi stopped and they watched each other in shared, exhausted silence.

"You didn't sleep either, huh?" Naruto asked.

Itachi shifted and rested his hand instinctively over top of the badge of his belt. "Between Sasuke's little stunt and sorting things out with our family, it was a hectic night."

They went quiet again. Itachi wasn't sure if it was because of the somber atmosphere or the fact that neither of them slept. It was probably a mixture of both. Naruto raised his right hand and ran it through his hair, "How is he?" he asked.

"He'll be OK. Especially now that he's got a baby sitter," Itachi said.

"Babysitter?"

"Yeah. Obviously, we can't leave him alone. I have him staying with Sakura. She should be on her way to pick him up, actually."

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but the phone clipped next to his badge started ringing loudly and shook against Itachi's belt. He held up an index finger to the blond and pulled the phone from its holster. Shisui's name spelled out in bold letters across the screen. Itachi frowned. Shisui would text him if he was going to ask about Sasuke. He had feeling something was up. He turned his back on Naruto, tapping the answer button.

"Yes?" he greeted, trying to keep his tone quiet.

"Hey, Itachi. I know you're dealing with my little cousin right now, but there's been another acid attack." Shisui's voice was quick and urgent, "You should probably get down here."

Itachi lifted squeezed the bridge of his nose before he replied, "I'm outside the Hokage's hospital room. I'm going to need at least thirty minutes to interview him, then I'll be on my way. Who is it this time?"

"Koharu Utatane. She's in transport to the hospital as we speak. Her grand-daughter is still here, though," Shisui said. There was shouting coming from the other end of the line. Shisui's voice sounded tense as he continued, "I'll text you the address. Hurry." The call went dead.

Itachi pulled the phone from his ear with a frown. He turned slowly back to Naruto who was watching him with intense interest. "Something happen?" he asked.

"Another attack," Itachi stated simply, slipping his phone back into his belt. As he did, it buzzed with Shisui's text message.

He shouldn't have said anything. Naruto bolted away from the wall, staring him down with a serious expression, "Take me with you."

"No. I'm going to talk to your father."

Itachi took the remaining two steps to the door. Naruto's shoulders fell as he did, "Good luck with that," Naruto said, looking down at this feet and shuffling them, almost like a little kid.

Good luck? What did he mean by that? Itachi knocked on the door and pushed it open.

The first thing he noticed was Kushina looking as if the tiniest touch would cause her to crumble. A doctor stood above Minato, asking questions in a hushed voice and checking him over again and again. The three of them looked around at him as he entered. The doctor glared at first and he thought to himself that maybe he should've waited for a reply.

"Oh," the doctor's face cleared up the moment he spotted the badge on his belt, "Hello, Officer. I'm afraid Lord Hokage is not fit to see anyone now."

Minato waved his hand to silence the doctor, "No, no. This is fine. I was imagining I'd be seeing someone come in to talk to me. I'll do what I can." The doctor looked hesitant but caved with a nod.

Itachi took another step forward. "Good morning, Lord Hokage. I trust you're doing well now?"

The elder Namikaze lifted his right arm and rubbed the back of his head, a sheepish expression on his face. He slowly shook his head, "I believe so? At least, that's what the doctor is saying. Though I can't seem to move my legs very well."

"That is good to hear, however, I'm afraid I can't stay very long, Lord. So I will just get to my questions," Itachi said. He pulled a pen and notepad from the front pocket of his shirt, "Is there anything you can tell me the day of the incident? Did you see who caused the accident? Anything at all?"

Minato's blue eyes darted toward his wife then back to Itachi. He looked uncomfortable as he spoke, "I'm sorry, officer...?"

"Investigator Itachi Uchiha. We have worked together often in the past." Itachi explained. It was odd that the Hokage was asking for his name. They had not just worked together, but sometimes Minato would ask for him by name. There was no way he'd just forget who he was.

"Investigator Uchiha… I'm afraid I don't remember very much of anything." Minato looked down at his hands and Itachi could see the disappointment he felt in himself, "I know some faces. I know their connection to me. But almost all the memories I have of them are gone. I remember nothing at all from the last four years and before that is blurry."

So that's what "good luck" meant. That's why Naruto was standing outside, looking frustrated and depressed, instead of rejoicing with his family. Itachi flipped the notepad close and slid it back into his pocket. No need for that anymore. "I'm sorry to hear that," he said.

This was bad. The hit-and-run that placed Minato into a coma only had one witness, and that was Minato himself. The truck that had run into him had been clean with no previous records and a missing license plate. The make and model didn't register under any stolen vehicle descriptions. Their only hope had been Minato. Now they were left with no lead.

"I apologize for interrupting," he said, taking a step back. Itachi looked toward Kushina, "If he begins to remember, please give me a call." He spun on his heel and exited, not bothering to wait for goodbyes. He didn't have time for formalities.

As expected, Naruto was waiting for him outside, this time standing across from the door. The blond stared at Itachi as he pulled the door shut. When he finally turned to face him, Itachi said, "No, I'm not taking you."

"Why not?" Naruto took a frustrated step forward.

Itachi glared him down. He wasn't about to let this delinquent intimidate him. "This is police business. I also made a promise to make sure you didn't do anything stupid. If I were to break that promise I fear for my own safety." He could just imagine Sakura's painful pinch on his arm if she were to ever find out that he didn't stop Naruto from finding the Acid Attacker.

Naruto clutched something that was hidden in his jacket. He couldn't help but eye at the gesture with curiosity. "I have something you want. Let me tag along and I'll help you," Naruto said, his knuckles going white around the obscured object.

They stared each other down for what felt like hours. Naruto never moved his hand. Itachi took the moment to analyze the situation and imagine the outcome of each scenario in his mind. In every one that he acquired this something he wanted, he ended up suffering from Sakura's painful "Pinch-Of-Punishment" for breaking his promise to her.

Itachi raised his fingers to his forehead, feeling that his eyebrows were knotted up against each other. It seemed like he and Naruto were tied up in this investigation together and he couldn't do a thing about it. They'd have to cooperate more than he wanted to.

"Fine, but you will not cross the police line. Or else."

The man's blue eyes watched him a moment longer before a grin split across his face, "Yes! Let's go!"


	11. Chapter 11

It had been a long night. After losing Hinata, learning Sasuke was in danger, and his father waking with little to no memory, Naruto should have been drained of energy. But he jumped out of Itachi's police cruiser with excitement pulsing through his muscles and lighting up his eyes.

They had stopped at a park, a nice one Naruto recognized. They were in an upper-class neighborhood, where he and his family would visit from time to time as his father had friends in these sorts of places. The grass, which was beginning to turn yellow throughout most of the city, was a lush and vibrant green. Trees stood firm and proud, their leaves the only thing bending to the breeze. Other emergency vehicles were pulled up close by them, their alarms silent but the lights flashing. Not far away, yellow police tape was pulled around a few trees and a fence post.

Itachi stepped around the car and swept toward a man with hair matching his own onyx locks. They whispered to one another, the new man gave Naruto a pointed look. Naruto couldn't hear them, but he gave this new man a playful glare.

He looked around once more and spotted an ambulance with a woman holding a baby to her chest and sitting with a paramedic. He couldn't go check out the crime scene, but he may as well try to make himself useful. Checking that Itachi wasn't watching him, he slinked away, toward the traumatized looking woman.

"Good morning," Naruto greeted as he approached the lady with a blanket laying over her shoulders and the medic corking a water bottle. They both turned their gaze on him. Instantly, his hand was behind his head and he grinned, nervously. Looking at the woman up close, she looked familiar.

"Do I know you?" the woman asked, holding her child closer.

"Ah, I was just thinking that you looked familiar," Naruto said. He tapped his chin. Itachi had told him on the way to the park that Koharu Utatane had been attacked. He knew that old woman. She worked closely with his father and had once snapped a cane at his ankle when he was a kid. He didn't like her very much. But perhaps… "Are you related to that old lady? Ms. Utatane?"

The woman's face fell, "She's my grandmother."

The realization struck him like a bell being hit with a mallet that was too strong for it. The dark hair and red-tinted eyes should have been a dead giveaway. He'd met her enough times at parties where she would, as a teen, be forced to entertain the seven-year-old version of himself. There was no mistake. "Miss Kurenai? It's me, Naruto!"

Her eyes widened a little as she heard him declare his name. "Naruto? No way. I haven't seen you since your dad was running for Hokage. You're no longer a squirt!"

"And you're a mother now. When did that happen?"

Kurenai looked toward the small child in her arms. The baby squirmed slightly, and she slowly rubbed their back, "She was born about six months ago."

"She's so small," Naruto said as he leaned forward to get a better look at the little pink human, "who is her dad?"

"Do you remember the Sarutobis?"

He remembered the Sarutobis alright. Hiruzen Sarutobi had been the Hokage before his father. His wife and son would attend events in his stead when he couldn't make the more frivolous ones. Naruto remembered the son alone by the fact he'd caught the man smoking outside one of the venues, in a section that was clearly labeled with "No Smoking" signs. Not that Naruto was clean of his own faults, but the experience had left a sour taste in his mouth. Cigarettes were gross.

"Yeah, of course, I know them," he said.

"Asuma Sarutobi, the son of the previous Hokage. We got married two summers ago." She brushed her thumb across the child's forehead, smoothing down the wisps of black hair on her head. Kurenai's eyes were distant as she watched her child. "We were waiting for him, my grandmother and I. We were all going to go on a morning walk…"

Her voice faded but Naruto needed to hear more. Treading carefully, he asked, "He didn't show up?"

Kurenai shook her head, "No, he did. I went up and greeted him. I stepped away from the bench grandma and I were sitting on for only a moment… And then it happened. And Asuma, he…" She bit down on her lip.

"He what?"

"I shouldn't tell you any of this." She glared past her child and at the pavement under her feet. Kurenai stood suddenly, the blanket falling from her shoulders as she did. "You aren't involved in this!" her voice elevated, carrying over his head and probably caught the attention of any police nearby.

"Hey, hey. First of all, it's fine to tell me. I'm the current Hokage's son, after all. Second—" he lifted his arm— "I think I'm plenty involved already. My family and I have a right to know whatever information you have."

The paramedic had disappeared at some point. When? He wasn't sure. But he had to get any viable information from her before someone came over and disturbed them. He watched her hesitate. She thought for a second before she finally said, "I greeted him and behind my back, my grandmother was attacked… but Asuma saw the whole thing and ran after him." Her eyes looked toward the tree line. Naruto now noticed at least a dozen cops bumbling around behind a yellow line that was being placed as he watched.

Asuma had gone after the Acid Attacker? Naruto didn't feel himself take the step up onto the sidewalk or the one that propelled him into a sprint. Behind him, he barely heard Kurenai yelling his name. His strides were long, his feet heavy, as he flew across the green grass. As he approached the line, the two officers rolling it out didn't seem to notice him. He narrowed his eyes and jumped into a slide, going between them and under the tape.

Shouts of officers telling him to stop went unnoticed to him. However, one stood out to him and almost made him stop. Almost.

"Naruto!" Itachi yelled somewhere behind him.

Naruto looked over his shoulder, just in time to see Itachi get his foot caught on a tree root and steady himself. The older man began to follow him, but Naruto was not going to let up.

"I'm going to find Miss Kurenai's husband!" he yelled back to his pursuer and turned his focus back to the forest path ahead of him.

"We've already got people looking!"

"Not good enough!"

Naruto swerved and dodged. The trees around him became thicker, wilder. Somehow Itachi was keeping up with him without too much difficulty. Naruto eventually came to a stop on the path, a good three-minute sprint away from all the officers at the tree line. He cast his gaze across the environment and they briefly rested on Itachi as he slowly came to stop. Itachi's breathes were heavy and rough. His eyes were glaring at Naruto with murderous intent. Naruto just shrugged it off.

"I told you not to cross the police line," Itachi said once his breath had mostly returned to him.

Naruto rolled his eyes, "And you really believed I would? Besides, I still have the thing you want." He felt the old cell phone through his jacket. The charger he'd ordered online had more than likely been destroyed in the fire. If anyone could charge the phone, it was Itachi. But Naruto wasn't going to give away his only resource so easily.

"I could arrest you for interfering with a crime scene," Itachi threatened.

"You won't, though. Face it, you could use me." Naruto turned his back to Itachi and began to walk down the path once more.

"Wait! Stop!" Itachi's footsteps raced toward him.

Naruto simply kept his leisurely pace. He enjoyed giving Itachi grief. Maybe it was because he reminded him so much of Sasuke and Sasuke was fun to tease.

A hand shot out and grabbed the collar of his jacket. Itachi yanked him backward. He gasped as the sudden force against his throat unbalanced him. Naruto fell back, hitting the ground at Itachi's feet.

"What was that for?!" Naruto shouted.

"Be quiet," Itachi said, his voice barely over a whisper. He took a few steps forward, pulling a plastic glove from his pocket and snapping it into place. He lowered himself to the path and gently picked up an item that Naruto had failed to spot. A burnt cigarette. Itachi lifted it toward his nose and sniffed, "The scent is going stale, but this was dropped not long ago." He glanced around while placing the cigarette in the exact spot it had been, "Mr. Sarutobi probably couldn't run far with his smoking habit. They'll have to be close by if they're here."

Naruto pushed himself to his feet, scanning the forest floor for anything. The trail had no distinguishable footprints as it was packed down by thousands of steps before. As far as he could tell, none of the foliage was disturbed. He hadn't even seen the cigarette on the ground. Maybe he wasn't as useful as he thought he could be.

Itachi stood and walked a few paces forward, looking every which way as he did so. He only took a few steps before he stopped and reached out toward a low hanging tree branch. "This might be something," he said as he examined it.

"What?" Naruto hurried forward, careful not to trod on the cigarette.

"This tree is covered in sap, so I thought it might have been that at first. On closer inspection, it's definitely blood." Itachi released the branch and it bounced back into its original position. He then said, "They went off the path. That'll make it a bit easier. Just try to be quiet."

Itachi reached for the handgun on his belt and slowly removed it. Naruto heard the click of the safety turn off and he swallowed, hard. He'd seen plenty of guns before, but only ever hidden in their holsters. If they weren't in their holsters, they weren't a threat. What Itachi had in his hand was a real weapon, not some impressive machinery to marvel at.

They stepped onto the uneven ground of the forest, silently creeping in the mid-morning light. Naruto followed Itachi, who kept his arms out in front of him with the muzzle of the firearm pointed down. All the while, Naruto tried to listen for the slightest hint of movement that belonged to someone else. Occasionally, Itachi would stop and investigate a tree or something on the ground before pushing forward once more.

It felt like hours before Itachi came to a firm stop. Naruto didn't need to ask why. Ahead of them he heard shuffling. Someone or something was moving around, just out of eyesight. Itachi motioned for him to stay, but Naruto was bad at following instructions. He should know that by now. So as Itachi began to circle left around the sound, Naruto went right. He could almost hear Itachi's silent cursing at him. This was no time to be reprimanded, though.

As they drew closer, Naruto's heartbeat was so loud he was sure whoever was in front of him could hear it. He eventually lost sight of Itachi. Though he knew he was there, a sinking feeling of loneliness coursed through him with every beat. At any moment, something could strike out at him. His muscles tensed as the thought hit him. But he kept moving forward. He stepped deliberately against the softest portions of dirt he could find, careful to bypass any twigs. The shuffling was so close now… he was almost there. This very well could be the Acid Attacker, the man he was going to pummel into the next life for hurting so many people. Almost there!

Something shot from the rustling undergrowth and latched onto his ankle. Naruto let out a yelp of surprise. By instinct, his other leg swung out, landing a direct blow to whatever it was that caught onto him. It flinched away and he realized what had grabbed him was a tanned hand. It pulled back. Naruto dove forward, adrenaline from the interaction pumping in his ears. He went nearly headfirst into the brush.

His forehead collided with something hard. All he could see were tiny little starbursts for a moment and he had heard a cry of pain from the man he'd accidentally headbutted. Naruto blinked, clearing his vision enough to see a man laying on his back amongst the flora. With a bruised eye and a pained expression, Asuma watched him warily from his prone position.

"Asuma!" Naruto grabbed the man by his arms and dragged him into a clear spot. The man flinched when the sunlight hit his eyes.

Itachi stepped out into view just as Naruto propped the older man against a tree. He crouched down next to them, the gun still pointed away but in his hand. "Good work, Naruto," he said, acknowledging him before turning to Asuma. He looked the man over, taking in as much detail he could while he asked, "Mr. Sarutobi, are you alright? We need to get you to the ambulance."

Asuma shook his head before he grunted, "I saw him. Grabbed him and saw him."

"You saw the one who attacked Miss Kurenai's grandma?" Naruto nearly jumped to his feet with excitement. One more clue closer to finding the bastard! Itachi shot a glare at Naruto, trying to tell him to shut up without saying anything. But Naruto couldn't contain himself. He sat forward on his toes, "Asuma, tell us everything!"

The man scrunched his brows. "I was chasing him. I caught him. His hood came off. He gave me this black eye. We scuffled for a bit and then…" Asuma reached up and grabbed onto his shoulder, wincing at his self-inflicted pressure. "He had a needled and injected something in my shoulder. Knocked me on my ass."

Out of the corner of his eye, Naruto saw Itachi glance around once more. "That's an impressive feat for someone to pull off. To stick a needle into someone in the proper place and knock them out in mid-combat. We're either dealing with someone with precise medical knowledge or is just lucky," Itachi said and turned his eyes back to Asuma, "What did he look like, Mr. Sarutobi?"

"Longish silver hair and round glasses," Asuma said, gesturing his hands over his own head for emphasis, "dark eyes, slender chin. I don't remember much else."

Naruto nodded at every detail Asuma listed. Itachi looked at him, "Naruto, does that sound familiar at all?"

"Nope." Naruto sprang to his feet and said, "I didn't see his face three years ago. But now we know what he looks like. He's going down." They were getting closer and closer to the guy. A shiver of excitement jolted through him. He could still be in the park! Naruto wanted to dash about, and he would've if a firm hand didn't grab the back of his jacket to hold him in place. He looked down at Itachi, who was still hovering over Asuma but was keeping him from bolting away.

"I know what you're thinking. It's likely he's long gone by now," Itachi said, "We need to get Mr. Sarutobi to the ambulance. I'm sure Mrs. Sarutobi will want to see him."

Naruto remembered the woman in the parking lot and his shoulders fell. The two other men were watching him as if expecting him to bolt off anyway. But he couldn't do that to Kurenai. Itachi was right, she'd want to see her husband. Naruto let out a sigh, "Fine. Let's get him to safety. Then we can look for him!"

"No. You and I will have a talk about this thing I apparently want. Then rest." Itachi motioned him to join him as he began lifting Asuma to his feet. Once he was settled in between them, supported by their shoulders, Itachi said, "Have you forgotten neither of us has slept? Or did the adrenaline revitalize you?"

"To be honest I don't sleep much anyway." The adrenaline had given him a spike of energy that had allowed him to get this far. But now that Itachi mentioned it, he wouldn't say no to a nap. He tried to fight a yawn, but it overpowered him, and his tense jaw stretched open.

"Sure. Let's get Mr. Sarutobi to safety."

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto let his eyes roll. They started toward the way they came with the groggy man hobbling between them.

ooooo

He was in a new place this time. Colorful lights zoomed past him as he waded through ankle-deep water. Once more, he had an urgent need to follow them, to get to where they were going. He needed to get to that feeling of warmth and acceptance that he so desperately craved.

The water started turning into slush, slowing down his pacing. Sasuke gritted his teeth and trudged forward still. He was determined. He'd make it this time.

An orange light broke away from its path, spiraling around in front of him uncontrollably. Before he could do anything, it collided with his chest, sending shatters of heated glass flying with the impact. He felt himself tumble backward and he was falling into darkness, with the slush raining down around him.

Sasuke sat up with a start, with a racing heart and breath harsh in his lungs. He could feel an accumulation of sweat on his brow and he raised his hand to wipe it away. The memories of the dream were already beginning to fade, but he could remember the desperation that filled him like almost every dream before it. Every day, just before waking up, he'd been experiencing this odd ache. They were always in different settings, that he knew, but they all involved him fighting to find something.

As he caught his breath, he glanced around. It took him a moment to register where he was. This cluttered, but clean, living room belonged to Sakura and her roommate, Ino. That was right. Itachi had taken all the keys to his apartment and made him stay at her place until he was no longer a threat to himself. At least, that's what Itachi had implied.

He sat up, catching a glance at the clock on the wall. It was just past two in the afternoon. He vaguely remembered Sakura telling him she'd make lunch, but she was nowhere to be seen. There was a glass of water and the medicine cap with a medley of pain medicine sitting on the end table. At least she had left that out for him. Though his hangover was mostly gone, he downed the pills and water, gratefully.

Sasuke slid from the couch. His stomach let out a whining grumble and he sighed. The last thing he wanted to do was rummage through their food. Ordering take-out was out of the question as he had no idea what the address was. He glanced around at the two bedroom doors. Maybe Sakura was in hers. He rubbed his chin, unsure whether to go disturb her or not.

"If you're thinking about drinking yourself into a stupor again, forget it," a voice said from behind him. He looked back toward the bathroom door. Ino was standing in the frame, pressing a wet towelette across her face to remove all the bright make-up she was wearing. She straightened up slightly and said, "Sakura left with every bottle we had, including my tequila. She said it was for your safety."

He glared at her. What kind of nerve did this girl have to say something like that so bluntly? Though he had to admit, tequila did sound good.

"For your information, no. I was considering looking for her."

Ino wiped down the second half of her face and flicked the towelette away, somewhere in the bathroom. She waltzed toward him, eying him up and down with an analyzing glare. He suddenly felt the need to wrap himself in his blanket. It felt as if she was stripping away his layers and trying to read his soul.

"I don't see what she sees in you." She twirled around and began briskly walking toward the kitchen.

"What do you mean?" he asked, trying not to snap. She really did have a lot of guts.

Ino stopped at the island counter and separated the two rooms. She leaned her hands against it, cocking her head at him. "I mean, you're handsome, I'll give you that. But level with me. You completely forgot who I was until I asked you about Sai, right?"

He watched her take a step back and open a drawer. That was true to an extent. He'd only met her a couple times and Sai never really talked about her. "Is that such a big deal? We've barely spoken before. I didn't even know Sakura knew you."

She pulled out a butter knife and spun it between her fingers. "Fair enough," she said. She pranced to the fridge and retrieved a small wheel of cheese. Her fingers curled around the handle and she turned her gaze back toward him. "Sai really didn't talk about me much?" she asked.

"I assumed he preferred to keep his love life private," Sasuke said. He watched her shoulders drop and her eyes fall. Damn, he really wasn't good at dealing with sad people. He had to change the subject. But to what?

"He didn't really talk about you guys, either," Ino said as she closed the fridge, "He was always so mysterious. Y'know he never told me about his family? Or where he grew up? I always figured he had just had a bad home life. Now I wonder if he wasn't hiding something."

She grabbed an apple from the counter and rotated it between her hands. Ino frowned, "Perhaps he didn't really love me. Why else would someone just disappear without telling their girlfriend?" A single tear slipped down her cheek.

Oh, just great. He stood there, gawking, as Ino's face flooded with tears. If only Sakura were here, she'd know how to handle this. Sasuke turned his eyes away from her. It was rude to just stare at a crying person, right? Or was it bad to just ignore them?

Her sniffling came to a quick stop, much to his relief. "Sorry," she said. He looked toward her again. She had her own eyes covered with her hand, "It's just been difficult."

Sasuke scratched his cheek. "If it means anything, he didn't tell us anything about his past, either." Maybe that would make her feel better?

Ino's lips tightened. Maybe that was the wrong thing to say.

"Anyway… When will Sakura be back?" he asked casually, trying to shift the subject. He really didn't need to deal with her self-pity on top of his own issues. His arm was dead, in a sling against his chest. Ino was just grieving over some punk who had his distant teammate. As far as he was concerned, he had no place to be her comforting shoulder.

Ino lowered her hand, her eyes now missing the tears that had been there previously. "I don't suspect too much longer. She just went to the downstairs neighbor…"

The front door's handle turned the moment she finished speaking. Sakura stood in the doorway, eying the two of them for a second before stepping in and shutting the door behind her. "I'm back. They tried to convince me to stay and take shots."

"Good, you're here. Your boyfriend is awake," Ino said nonchalantly as she started out of the kitchen with her apple and cheese wheel.

"Boyfriend?" Sakura gapped as Ino as she pranced away toward her room, "Now wait just a moment. He is not—"

"Sure, sure." Ino disappeared behind her door, leaving Sakura to kick off her shoes in a fuss.

"She's got a big mouth. Sorry," Sakura said as she hurried into the room, closing the gap between the two of them, "Did she say anything? I know she's not in the best mindset right now."

Sasuke watched her as she rocked back and forth on her feet in front of him. She was biting down on her lip, looking worried. "No. She just told me you were out and getting rid of her tequila," he said. He decided it better that he not tell her that Ino had started crying in front of him.

"Oh, yeah!" her eyes brightened up. Thank goodness, he didn't need another sad person making him feel useless again. She gave him a sheepish smile, "I decided it would be easier for all of us if I just got rid of it and the downstairs neighbors like to party. You must be hungry!" Sakura turned and darted toward the kitchen, leaving him standing once more.

Sasuke watched her before he turned and looked down at the PlayBox. Amongst the games on the shelf was the console version of Shinobi Showdown. Seeing it made he step back, though his calves collided with the futon. His mind brought forward memories of that day, the ones that he could remember at least. The ones of huddling together as a team before the final. His mind settled on his teammates. Neji was alright. He was back home, being cared for. Sai… was now missing. If anything came out from the conversation with Ino it was that Sasuke realized something. He knew even less about his teammate then he had thought. Why would Sai just disappear? A rush like cold water flowed down his spine as a thought occurred to him.

What if he'd known about it? What if the reason why Sai had disappeared was that he was somehow involved?

He shook his head to try and rid those thoughts from his mind. Sai? Involved in something like that? No way. He was mysterious, but he wasn't a bad guy.

Finally, his mind shifted to his fourth teammate. Lee, the overly emotional but talented kid with a bowl cut who had arguably gotten out of there worse than Sasuke had. His lips flattened against themselves as he thought about it. Lee had been the most optimistic of the four of them. He worked the hardest to get to where he had gotten. And yet…

"Sasuke! Hey, are you listening?"

He turned his head sharply. Sakura was standing next to him, one hand on her hip and the other holding onto a plate. One of her eyebrows was raised toward her hairline as she waited for a response.

"Yes?" he said.

"I made you a sandwich. With extra tomatoes. I know you like them." She grinned as she held out the plate.

He slowly accepted it. Sasuke watched her face turn satisfied before he asked, "Do you work tomorrow?"

"Why?" she asked, her smile quirking to the side in curiosity.

"I'd like to go visit Lee. He's still at the hospital, right?"

She tapped her chin, "I mean… He's there daily for physical therapy. So, I guess he basically lives there. But he was discharged around the same time you were."

"I see." Sasuke let out a sigh.

"You could probably go and visit him, though. Maybe the trainer there can convince you to sign up for it as well."

He felt his forehead wrinkle. "I don't need physical therapy."

"Alright. I'll take you to work tomorrow. I'm sure Lee will be happy to see you." She took a step back, the grin never disappearing from her features despite him. "Let me go get my sandwich and we'll eat together." She turned and hopped away.

Sasuke fell against the couch. Tomorrow, he'd see Lee. Maybe Lee knew something he didn't. If not, it would be still good to see one of his teammates. He'd only heard from Sakura and Kakashi about the progress and it wasn't much.

He looked down at his sandwich and noticed immediately that it had two layers of tomatoes piled taller than anything else in between the two pieces of bread. Sasuke couldn't help but smile a little. She really did know him.

ooooo

Itachi pulled up to the police station and cut the engine to the car. He looked through his windshield and watched as some of his coworkers walked back and forth between their cruisers and the building. Most of them were also his extended family. The Uchihas were known as a police family, usually entire generations were employed there. Their family bonds were so closely tied to the police force that the highest-ranking individual was often also named the head of the clan once the previous one was incapable in any way. The next heir would be the director, his father and that alone was putting an extra layer of stress on Itachi's shoulders.

"Here already?" Naruto asked.

Itachi eyed him. He hadn't made a move to leave the car. Perhaps he was too exhausted. Itachi didn't blame him. After the night and morning that they'd had, it was amazing Naruto hadn't fallen asleep on the drive to the station.

He reached forward and turned off the police radio. At the click, Naruto looked at him.

"What we're about to discuss… I have a feeling is something best left outside of earshot," Itachi said as he folded his fingers together and leaned back against his seat.

"I would agree with that."

"So, what is it? This thing you say I'd be interested in."

His eyes watched as Naruto dug into the inside of his coat before he finally caught it and drew it out. An old flip-phone. Itachi might have had one similar while he was in high school.

"A friend of mine had it. It apparently has useful information… but it needs to be charged," Naruto said, "I'd ordered a charger for it but that was definitely destroyed in the fire."

"Fire?" Itachi asked. There was a fire that had something to do with Naruto?

"You didn't listen to your police radio thingy last night?"

Itachi glared at him. "I was off shift when Sasuke nearly killed himself and I had to go rescue him. I haven't watched to news today, either. Been a little busy."

Realization hit Naruto square in the face, and he grinned uncertainly. "Sorry, sorry. I just kind of thought you'd know by now. Being a cop and all," Naruto said before his face fell, "My apartment was bombed last night. A package bomb. My girlfriend and her little sister were in it when it happened."

"My condolences. Are they alright?"

It was as if Naruto was suddenly weighed down by a heavy fog. He watched as the boy's shoulders sank and his eyes darkened with melancholy. "They got out. They'll be fine."

Itachi drummed his fingers over the back of his hand. "Has the investigator on the case spoken to you yet?" he asked.

"Investigator? No. No one has talked to me." Naruto tapped the phone on his knuckle. "I think it's connected, too. To everything."

"Was it just the one package? The one the cable was in?"

Naruto shook his head. "There were two. I was expecting only one. So the one that didn't have the cable was probably the bomb. Hinata told me… over the phone, just before it exploded."

He was talking to his girlfriend as she was hit by a bomb? Itachi frowned. That was awful. "I'm sorry," he said. Itachi was terrible at comforting people. He cleared his throat, "Anyway, that flip-phone. It needs a charger?"

His blond companion shook himself out of the stupor he was falling into and nodded. "Yeah. The one I found online was hard to find. If anyone has access to one, I figured you did." Naruto lay the phone on the console between them.

Itachi gingerly picked up the phone and pried it open with his other hand. As Naruto explained earlier, it was dead. He flipped it around, looking for the charging slot. "Yeah. If we don't have one of these in resources, there will probably be one in evidence that I can… borrow."

"'Borrow'?" Naruto quoted, giving him a stink-eye.

Itachi snapped the phone shut. He watched a group of his relatives leave the building, all carrying boxed lunches wrapped in bandanas with their family crest on it. "Yeah. Older cases would have phones like this and with it their chargers. I just have to get into evidence, which shouldn't take long." He pocketed the phone and grabbed the door handle. "Stay here. I'll take you back to your place after I get it."

Naruto lurched across the console as Itachi stepped out of the car. "What about my jeep?" he asked.

"Sounds like you're taking the bus tomorrow to get it," He said and Itachi slammed the door closed in Naruto's face. He turned and jogged toward the giant, brick entrance of the Konoha Police Department.

He passed countless cousins of all kinds as he traversed the white and yellow halls he knew so well. Fellow officers tried to greet him or offer condolences for Sasuke, but he stared straight ahead as he passed and didn't listen to whispers of resentment when he ignored them. He didn't feel the need to listen to people who only respected him because of his father's position. Itachi eventually made it to a room with the word "RESOURCES" on a green sign above the thick wooden door.

Inside the room were books upon books and filing cabinets pressed as tightly against each other as was possible, with a single wooden table with mismatched chairs. This was an older room, one that most people didn't use anymore since all the files were being transferred into digital copies. However, there were things like chargers that you couldn't put on a computer. That kind of stuff was hidden in here.

Itachi darted to up to the closet filing cabinet. Most were filled with old papers. Others had stacks of office supplies. On the third set of drawers, he found one gracelessly labeled "Tech Stuff". If it was going to be here, it would be in this drawer, right? He pushed the latch and pulled it open. Inside were computer mice, mostly, and a single pair of older headphones that were padded with foam. He clawed through all the wires, trying to find something that resembled a charger.

"Hey, be careful!" a woman cried from behind him.

Itachi looked over his shoulder. Izumi Uchiha, someone he knew by position alone, stood in the doorway with a stack of books against her chest. She was in his family tree somewhere. Where she fell in it, he didn't know. She was probably one of those who he was related to by name more than blood. He straightened up. Even though he didn't know her, she was the person who could help him.

"You wouldn't happen to know where the phone chargers are, would you?"

"To the point as always, Itachi," Izumi said, rolling her eyes. She strode over to one of the filing cabinets and pulled it open. "There. Now stop messing up my organization."

"Thank you," he said and dove into this new drawer. But he quickly realized that they were all just the three most popular and current phone chargers. He pressed his lips together, holding back a groan of frustration.

"What's the matter?" Izumi's voice was less irritated now.

"Nothing," Itachi said and he grabbed for one that matched his own phone. He closed the drawer, pocketed the charger, and headed for the door, "I'll return this once my phone is charged to full."

"You need to sign out with it," she said, flatly, her arms crossed over her stomach and her glare following him as he tried to escape.

He stopped. "Right, right, where is the sheet?" Itachi never came in here. He had his own charger sitting at his desk so there was never a need. She pointed to a spot on the wall where a clipboard was hanging with a pen dangling from a string. He jotted down what was needed and then rushed out before she could scold him anymore.

But her voice floated down the hall after him as she poked her head out and shouted after him, "If I don't see it back here by tomorrow morning I'm coming after you!"

Not returning a random phone charger was the last of his worries right now. Itachi hurried down another set of hallways and arrived at his final hope. This door was labeled "EVIDENCE" on an equally foul green colored sign. He grabbed onto the heavy door and pulled. Inside was a small room with another door that needed to be opened by the bored looking man behind a desk. Another one of his cousins, probably, looked up at him with bloodshot eyes.

"What are you here for? Also, need your name." the man asked, not bothering to take his chin from his fist.

"Investigator Itachi Uchiha. I'm going to take another look at the glass we found at the first Acid Attacker crime scene," Itachi said and he pulled a pair of gloves from the box on the man's desk.

The man scribbled something down on a notepad before typing on his ancient-looking keyboard. Once he pressed the giant enter key, he looked at Itachi. "You may proceed," he said and pressed a red button with the palm of his hand. The second door began inching its way open. He nodded in appreciation and ducked through.

Boxes filled the giant room, all neatly stacked on shelves and against the wall. He needed to find older boxes, ones dated for before he even joined the agency. Itachi hurried past shelves, thankful for his sharp eyes. He didn't need to slow down to see the years written on the side of the shelves. He turned into the row labeled "Early 2000's". There had to be something in here that could help him.

He began shuffling through every box, careful not to disturb the dust that settled over them too much. He'd peak into one, see no phone or wire, then place it back where he found it. He shifted through dozens of boxes, seeing everything from a colorful toy gun to shotgun shells. In one he even found a hand full of crossbow bolts without a crossbow. He was coming to the end, reaching for another box, when he heard the door creaking and voices. Shit, he had to be quicker.

Itachi grabbed one box after another. The voices didn't come nearly as deep into the room as he had, but he still didn't need anyone questioning why he was sifting through old evidence. He pulled one from the bottle shelf and opened the lid.

Bingo.

There, in the mostly empty box, was some old newspapers with what looked like blood drops on it and the same model phone Naruto had handed him. Next to the phone was a cable. Just what he was looking for. He snatched it up and shoved it in the pocket next to the cable he'd stashed earlier.

Itachi crept back down the row of boxes and stopped at the end, peeking around it to make sure no one could see him leaving the "Early 2000's". Once he determined that it was clear, he began the walk to the door that suddenly felt twice as long. He was almost there. A couple more steps and he'd be free. His hand hovered over the "OPEN" button when a familiar voice spoke that immediately spiked his heart-rate.

"Itachi. It's not every day you're in evidence."

He let his lip twitch but then forced his face into a stoic expression. He turned toward the speaking, trying to keep his expression steady. "I'd dare say I'm in here more often than the director is."

His father nodded. He stood in between the rows that marked the two most recent years with his hands relaxed over his stomach. "What are you doing in here?" he asked, his eyes boring into Itachi and Itachi was worried that he could somehow see through into the pockets of his jacket.

"I was looking at the glass from the first Acid Attacker case this year. Then I decided to go back to the earlier cases to see if I couldn't find any more connections," Itachi lied. At least that would explain why he wasn't in the row that Fugaku was guarding.

"And did you?"

"Unfortunately, not."

Fugaku leaned his head back slightly. "That's a shame. I'm afraid you may be losing your touch already, Itachi. We can't have that. You're far too valuable as an investigator."

Itachi shook his head. "No, father. I suspect I will be finding a breakthrough soon. Especially with the new information that we learned today."

"With Mr. Sarutobi's courageous act of chasing down the perpetrator. Yes, I heard. Shisui is doing a fine job at reporting in, like a true team leader. Like you should be." His father's voice was dripping with irritation as he called Itachi out. He was right. Itachi was slacking on the paperwork aspect of the job but honestly had better things to do.

Itachi raised his chin, proudly, and held back his shoulders. He didn't say a word, just stared down his father as he watched him. Fugaku eventually caved into their little staring match with a sigh through his nose. "How is Sasuke? I heard he was in the hospital again."

"He's fine now. I arranged him to stay with Sakura."

"Sakura…" Fugaku closed his eyes. "Next time you see him, tell him I send my regards."

"You should do it yourself." Itachi turned and pressed the button. The door released from its seal and once more started to open so slowly it was agonizing. Itachi then said, "I'm sure he'll be in the hospital for one reason or another again. You should go visit him. Or call him. I'm sure he'd appreciate a carrier pigeon at this point."

Fugaku was silent. Itachi tried to keep his steps even as he escaped his father's eyesight. Very few things could truly upset him, and his father was one of them. And when his father mentioned Sasuke, that enraged him. He was no father to either of them, but especially not to Sasuke. Poor Sasuke who still looked up to that dirty old man. Sasuke, who just wanted his father back but would never get that.

His feet carried him to the entrance with his heart still racing from the unwanted interaction. He came to a stop on the stairs. Above him, clouds were starting to roll in over the blue sky. Autumn was approaching, bringing with it the encroaching colder weather. His sight turned to his cruiser and Naruto still sitting in the front seat. As he approached, he noticed Naruto's expression was carved with focus and determination as he stared at his phone. It changed completely when he popped open the car door and sat in the driver's seat.

"Something interesting on that phone?" Itachi asked.

Naruto shoved his phone into his pocket. "It's nothing," he said, "Just some complicated family stuff. You wouldn't understand."

Itachi wanted to smack this guy upside the head. Instead, he turned the key and let the car roar to life. He grabbed the gear shift but instead of moving it into reverse, he leaned toward Naruto slightly. "I think I understand more than you think I do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We got to 50k words in less than a month. Too bad it wasn't in November! :P


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Uh well heh. I'm sorry for not updating in a month. And this one is way shorter than the previous chapters. Truth be told, writing 55k in under a month drained me. I didn't forget about this story though. I just had to work on some other projects.
> 
> From here on out, updates will be slower. I'm going to be taking my time to get quality chapters out and not worry about numbers. Thank you, everyone, for your reviews and kind words. And by the way, my ear is better!
> 
> Without further ado,

Chapter 12

The bus made a "kush" sound as it deflated to let the line of riders piling up at the doors off it. Naruto landed on the pavement, a block from the hospital, and quickly hustled toward it as the commuters spilled onto the sidewalk behind him.

"Damn that Itachi," he murmured. He had not wanted to return to the hospital yet, but his jeep was here. He had decided to drive it to the hospital instead of riding in the ambulance with Hinata. Ambulances were just as bad as hospitals. Ambulances were something he could actively avoid. This hospital wasn't, at least not yet.

Naruto's pace slowed as a thought struck him. Maybe he should go check on his mother. He was sure his father would be asleep. He had to be, right? After all, it was barely eight in the morning.

A crispy breeze swirled against his cheeks, biting at his skin briefly. He shoved his chin into his collar and headed toward the hospital entrance. It couldn't hurt to try and coax his mother into going back to her house with him. He was sure she needed a break from this dreary place.

He reached that dreaded door and pushed it open, slowly at first. Not a glimpse of his mother's red hair could be spotted from where he peered through into the room. With a frown, he opened it completely. Where she usually sat, closer to the foot of the bed, was empty. The silhouette of his father's feet under the sheets was also absent from what he could see. Naruto gritted his teeth and stepped forward with a sudden surge of panic.

Gone.

His throat seized up as the empty bed stared back at him.

They were gone. But where could they have disappeared to? Had some terrorist group swept in while he was away and taken them? Perhaps whoever had hospitalized his father had come in the night to finish the job.

Naruto barely registered himself move. He crashed through the door, back into the hallway. He needed answers and he needed them now. The hallway was deserted, so he marched toward the closet nurses' station he knew of with vigor in his step and his eyes narrowed. When he arrived at the desk, he realized his jaw was sore from grinding his teeth.

"Hey!" he grabbed onto the edge of the desk and leaned forward, calling out toward the only nurse he saw.

The man, who had had a black phone pressed to his ear, glared toward him. Naruto would've felt bad in a different situation, but he needed to know where his parents had gone to and now. The nurse whispered something, pressed a button, then rolled in his chair to face Naruto dead on. Before the other man could say a word, Naruto yelped, "The Namikazes! Where'dtheygo?"

Confusion splashed across the nurse's face. "Sir, I think I need you to slow down. Please repeat yourself?" he stretched out his fingers to the keyboard in front of him.

Naruto breathed. He was right, he needed to keep an even head. He'd be no good against terrorists if his mind was in chaos. "My father, Minato Namikaze, was not in his room. Where'd he go?"

The nurse cleared his throat, a flush of realization spreading across his face, "Oh, you're the Hokage's son. I didn't recognize you. My apologies." The man typed as quickly as he could on his keyboard. Naruto watched the lighting shift over the man's face, his foot tapping with anxiety. The nurse glanced up toward him and said, "Looks like he was scheduled for his first physical therapy session. Then he's being moved out of the ICU."

"Is he there now?" Naruto leaned forward with a burst of relief. So, his parents were alright. Thank goodness.

"Yes. It's in the east wing of the hospital. Just go down that hallway and— Hey! Don't run!"

Naruto pushed away and dashed down the hallway, ignoring the surprised calls of the nurse. The east wing, huh? He'd been there maybe once or twice before. Surely, he'd be able to find it easily.

He navigated the halls as fast as he could get away with. Sprinting when no one was around and slowing to a brisk walk when a nurse or doctor appeared. Not soon enough, he reached a room with multiple, large windows. Pieces of equipment were scattered throughout the room but were all empty of his father. Naruto curled his fingers around the handle and pushed it open.

Now that he had a full view of the room, he spotted his family. His father was sitting on the ground with his legs out in front of him. A trainer pushed against his foot, flexing his ankle when he had difficulty doing so. His mother stood against a wall, in what was a blind spot from the windows. Her eyes flickered to him and she motioned for him to approach.

"I thought you had been kidnapped," Naruto said with an exasperated sigh.

His mother wrapped her hand in his with a giant smile. "Nope! No kidnapping. Just getting your father better."

"You seem happier."

She nodded and looked toward her husband. With a content sigh, she said, "He's still Minato, even if he doesn't remember much. Pushing to get better. He doesn't mind if he needs to walk with a cane for the rest of his life." She squeezed his hand. "He wants to get back to the people. Get caught up on the politics on the country. It'll be a struggle but at least we have Mr. Danzo's support."

His eye twitched involuntarily at the sound of Danzo's name. "That fossil is still around? Probably the Acid Attacker's next target…"

Pain erupted from his arm. His mother pinched his bicep, squeezing tightly with her brows scrunched together. "I raised you to be more respectful than that."

Naruto wanted to bolt away, but it would only get worse if he did. Instead, he reached and patted her hand until she released him. "I'm sorry. I just don't… don't like him. He seems really suspicious."

The door creaked open. Naruto glanced around in time to see the pink-haired girl with bright green eyes pop her head into the room.

"Sakura!" he exclaimed.

Sakura threw her finger to her lips. Behind her, another larger, hand appeared and pushed the door open completely. The head of Sasuke Uchiha appeared above hers, as broody-looking as ever. They stared each other down and with every second Naruto's blood boiled hotter through his veins.

He threw out a bandaged finger, pointing at Sasuke accusingly. "You jerk!" he yelled, breaking away from his mother and taking a stormy step toward the pair.

"Naruto!" his mother sounded so far away.

Sasuke looked down at Sakura. "He's not here."

Sakura frowned, "No, but Ms. Chiyo may know when he's here next. Hold on a moment, I'll go ask her." Sakura let go on the door and dashed past Naruto, ignoring him but not hiding the irritated expression she pointed toward him.

Sakura didn't matter to him at that moment. He stomped forward, anger broiling his insides as he glared at Sasuke. Sasuke just watched him.

"You dumbass! Who, what made you think you could do something so dumb?" he said, his voice prickling with brimstone.

Sasuke's hand fell to a lower spot on the door and he gave Naruto a long frown. "Why do you care? We barely know each other."

Naruto's face fell against his hand and he grabbed the bridge of his nose in his fingertips. He let the air in his lungs expand and collapse slowly as he tried to regain his composure. "I don't need a reason to care. I just do. And I'm… really, really—" he looked back up and clapped his left hand onto Sasuke's right shoulder— "really glad you're still alive."

Maybe it was his fogged-up eyes, but Naruto could've sworn he had seen a smile tug at the corner of Sasuke's lips.

"You're such an idiot."

Naruto simply grinned.

ooooo

If Sasuke's back was any lower in the chair he would've been laying in it instead.

He stared up at the speckled ceiling of the hospital cafeteria, swirling an iced coffee around in the plastic cup. Across from him, Naruto was on his third cup of hot chocolate. Sasuke wasn't exactly fond of idle chit-chat but let Naruto spew whatever he had been bottling up on the inside for the past two days. What else was he supposed to do while he waited for Lee to show up?

Sakura said he was the second appointment of the day, after that weird blond man that looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place him. He just needed to wait an hour or so. You had to pass the cafeteria to get Physical Therapy, so waiting here was the best option he had.

The best option sure was a drag, though.

"Your brother is really super cool!" Naruto said, cutting through the mist in Sasuke's head. "A real crime fighter! Hero of the weak kinda guy! Honestly, he could inspire like a show."

Maybe he should've been paying attention to what this numbskull had been saying, after all. "Yeah. Itachi is really cool." Sasuke lifted the blue straw to his lips.

"We've been cooperating with each other," he said in a lower tone so that Sasuke had to really focus on him. It was difficult to seem uninterested and spacing out. "Y'know, for the case. We got his face, well a description of it. It's probably going to be on the news today. A sketch drawing, I mean."

"Who are you talking about?" There were multiple people he could think of who were wanted, who did unspeakable things.

"Haven't you been paying attention at all?" Naruto rolled his eyes. "The Acid Attacker. Yesterday a politician lady got attacked. I tagged along with your brother and met an old friend. Her husband chased after him and got a good look at his face."

"My brother is taking you to crime scenes?" Sasuke asked and he didn't bother hiding the confusion on his face, "Why you? Of all people?"

"I have connections."

Sasuke glared him down. "Terrible reasoning. What's your deal, anyway?"

"What do you mean?" Naruto's hand wiggled his way to his neck.

"Your arm. Your 'connections'. You seem to know everyone here in the hospital. And you're awfully buddy-buddy with my brother. I can't figure you out." And it was irritating him to no end. Naruto was a swirling black hole of mysteries that Sasuke just couldn't pin down.

The skin around Naruto's eyes crinkled as he grinned. "I'm just another guy trying to do good by people, is all."

"Such bullshit."

"It's really not," Naruto said. The smile on his face disappeared, replaced by a stony, serious expression, "Look, I'm saying this to you because I believe you deserve to know the truth. Every bit of it. You deserve closure.

"Everything is connected. The bombs at GlitchCon, the acid attacks old and new. Even… the attack on my… the Hokage a while ago. We don't know for sure how, but they are." Naruto batted one of the empty paper cups between his hands. "We're working on it. We're close to something. I'm not sure what but I can feel it."

"And I'm supposed to trust your gut instinct?" Sasuke eyed him, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

Naruto shook his head. "No, you're supposed to trust your brother. He thinks we're gonna get a breakthrough any day now too."

He drummed the side of his iced coffee and sat up. "I want in on this."

"Itachi would probably kill me if you got involved. He already hates it that I am," Naruto said. He stopped pawing the cup and raised an eyebrow at him, "and I'm not even his younger brother."

"I don't care what Itachi thinks. Someone did this to us and I want— need—"

"Don't say revenge."

"Closure, then."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. Sasuke turned his head toward the entrance, with the straw against his lips. "You of all people should understand the most what it's like to feel helpless," Sasuke said as he watched the tiny dust particles floating on in the sun, "And when you have the opportunity to do something, you do it."

Before Naruto could say anything a small, continuous squeak from outside the cafeteria caught Sasuke's attention. He sat up, keeping his eyes on the spot where whatever was squeaking would come into sight. The squeaking grew louder until a slow-moving wheelchair holding a boy with a bowl-cut rolled past the doors.

Sasuke stood up and dashed forward, stopping at the open doors with a slide. Lee was already part-way down the hall, with a familiar looking man who matched Lee's look stitch for stitch pushing the chair. "Lee!" Sasuke called.

Guy stopped and looked over his green-clad shoulder, back at Sasuke. "Oh, it's Sasuke!" he exclaimed. He moved and turned the chair back around so that Lee was facing him.

Sasuke and Naruto, who had appeared like a shadow behind Sasuke, approached them. As they did, Sasuke drank in all the unnatural crinkles lining Lee's tired expression. It was like he had aged ten years since he'd last seen him.

"What happened to your face?" Lee asked as they came to a halt in front of him before Sasuke could say anything.

"He was being a dip-shit, so I punched him," Naruto said from beside Sasuke. Sasuke immediately shot a glare toward the blond, sure that if his glare was venomous, Naruto would be laying catatonic on the ground.

He turned his eyes back to Lee and said, "It's been rough."

Lee's own gaze fell to his lap, where his fist was tapping his leg. "Yeah. It has been."

A silence settled over them. Lee continued thumping his knuckles against his shorts, his lips turned downward in a frown. Sasuke was frozen. What was he supposed to do? Say something? Comfort Lee? He really should've thought this through before he'd gone and searched Lee out.

"Have you seen Neji?" he blurted out.

Lee's hand stilled. "No, but he's been texting me. Out of our entire team, he's the only one who has talked to me." His eyes fell, making his expression droop in disappointment.

Ouch.

"I would've… contacted you earlier. But I've been dealing with my own issues."

"Not very well, either," Naruto added.

Sasuke's good hand whipped out and waved at Naruto to shut up.

"Yeah. I heard you lost mobility in your arm. I'm sorry," Lee said. His hand went back to gently pounding against his leg.

Sasuke shook his head. "So you haven't heard from Sai?"

"No, not that I haven't tried."

A hand reached over Lee's shoulder and squeezed. Guy stared Sasuke straight in the eye, his own bushy eyebrows knitted together. "Sasuke, I know you wouldn't be asking about Sai if you didn't already know. Sai's disappearance has shaken the entire team. I'm sorry we didn't tell you about it earlier, but doctors recommended against it due to your fragile mental state."

Fragile… mental state…

Sasuke's brow twitched involuntarily in irritation. He hadn't even wondered why he wasn't told about it earlier, but now he was being told it was because they didn't think he could handle it? It wasn't like he and Sai were particularly close. Why wouldn't he be able to handle learning about his teammate's disappearance?

"There is nothing we can do about Sai, for now. We can only hope he'll return to us in one piece," Guy continued, "And no, Lee did not see anything if that's what you're asking. He was just as incapacitated as you all were when the accident happened."

Guy grabbed the handles of the wheelchair and took a step back. "We've got to get Lee to Physical Therapy, which I encourage you to sign up for." He turned them around and walked away. But Sasuke saw Lee's eyes watching him until they disappeared around the corner.

Naruto shuffled next to him, resting a hand on his hip and staring in the spot where Lee and Guy disappeared. "Were they wearing matching outfits? With the same hairstyle?"

Sasuke didn't answer him. Instead, he turned and stalked toward the hospital entrance.

"Hey, wait!" Naruto dashed after him, catching up easily. "Look, I'm not sure who Sai is but from what I'm understanding, he's important and he's disappeared."

Sasuke slowed his pace and watched Naruto from the corner of his eye. "Important?" He wasn't sure if Sai was important. "He was my teammate. He went missing after the attack…" his voice trailed off and he lifted his iced coffee to his forehead. The very thought of the bombing sent his heartbeat into a frenzy. He let his lungs expand slowly with air, trying to maintain focus on his steps. "But something Guy said made me realize something."

"Guy? The old man?"

"Yeah," Sasuke said as he lowered his hand, "We were all incapacitated. There is no way he could've walked away on his own."

Of what Sasuke could remember, he'd been completely unable to do anything on his own after the impact. He had been a pile of flesh, stuck in a state of shock he couldn't shake himself from. Hell, Lee's spine had been broken. Sai couldn't have had been much better than they had.

Naruto's footsteps ceased. Sasuke stopped and turned back to the blond with a curious look. He stared at Sasuke with his lips cocked to the side and one eyebrow tilted toward his hairline, quizzically. "You're looking pretty pale," he said, "and there's sweat on your forehead."

Sasuke took the back of his hand and wiped his face. Sure enough, sweat was smeared across his skin.

"I'll make you a deal," Naruto said, taking a step forward, "Start therapy and I'll take you along."

"I thought it was settled that I was a part of this already," Sasuke said, one eye squinting closed and tilting his head as he focused on Naruto. As far as he'd be concerned he was, at least.

"No. Not unless you agree. And you gotta show proof of your first therapy session before I take you anywhere."

"Annoying," Sasuke commented, rolling his eyes. He turned to gaze out the window, "Either face my demons to get your cooperation… or you leave me in the dark."

Naruto was silent. Sasuke chanced a glance toward him. His cool, blue eyes were anything but cold. Instead, they burned intense with a seriousness that Sasuke recognized in himself once upon a time. "Passion is funny," he said, lifting the straw to his lips. Naruto's face twitched slightly with brief confusion before he silently continued to bore those fiery eyes into him. Sasuke sighed, "Fine. I'll do it."

Naruto immediately stuck his hand out to Sasuke. "Shake on it."

Sasuke raised a brow at him, looked at the cup in his hand, then back at Naruto. Naruto realized quickly that he couldn't just move the cup to his other hand and cleared his throat. His fingers closed over his palm, all except his pinky finger. "Then pinky promise. Even more sacred than the handshake."

"Wow, you're such a kid." Sasuke can't help but roll his eyes.

"Hey! I'm just trying to—"

He looped his pinky around Naruto's while keeping the cup firm in the palm of his hand. "Just don't go doing anything until I'm ready. And you have to promise. It's more sacred than the handshake, after all."

A smirked crossed over Naruto's face. "Promise."

ooooo

"hey hanabi, idk if hinata has a phone yet but i need to see her" Sent Yesterday 3:25 PM

"Naruto you shouldn't be texting me dad will be MAD" Received Yesterday 3:32 PM

"plz i need to speak to her its killing me" Sent Yesterday 3:33 PM

"fine ill ask but don't get your hopes up" Received Yesterday 3:57 PM

"thx hanabi" Sent Yesterday 4:04 PM

"day after tomorrow, 2 pm, at memorial park by the statue. Shell meet you there. Should be safe from dad" Received Just Now

Naruto tapped out a thank you, though it took him several attempts before he could get it right thanks to his fogged-up eyes. After more than a day waiting for Hanabi to finally get back to him, it was finally set. He'd be seeing Hinata again.

He dropped his phone on the sofa seat next to him where he lay. He cast his eyes over the dark room, spotting his mother sleeping in the dim light of her alarm clock. Naruto pushed his head deeper into the pillow he'd stolen from his old bedroom, thinking back on the entire day. His parents had turned out to be OK. Sasuke had agreed to look for help. And he'd see Hinata again.

His heart fluttered at the thought of holding her in his arms. He smiled to himself as he stared up at the ceiling of his parents' room.

Things were turning around. They might even be OK.


End file.
